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Changes in Consumption at Retirement

Author

Listed:
  • Emma Aguila
  • Orazio P. Attanasio
  • Costas Meghir

Abstract

Previous empirical literature has found a sharp decline in consumption during the first years of retirement implying that individuals do not save enough for their retirement. This phenomenon has been called the retirement consumption puzzle. In contrast to some of the previous studies, the authors find no evidence of the retirement consumption puzzle during the first years of retirement. Consumption is defined as nondurable expenditure, a more comprehensive measure than only food used in many previous studies. Food expenditure at retirement decreases. The latter could be explained by a reallocation of the budget shares after retirement to adjust to a new stage in the life cycle. These results suggest that food expenditure is not an accurate measure to test the Life Cycle Model.

Suggested Citation

  • Emma Aguila & Orazio P. Attanasio & Costas Meghir, 2008. "Changes in Consumption at Retirement," Working Papers WR-621, RAND Corporation.
    • Handle: RePEc:ran:wpaper:wr-621
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Agnes Kovacs & Hamish Low & Patrick Moran, 2021. "Estimating Temptation And Commitment Over The Life Cycle," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 62(1), pages 101-139, February.
    2. Almudena Sevilla-Sanz & Maria Jose Luengo-Prado, 2010. "Consumption, Retirement and Life-cycle Prices: Evidence From Spain," Economics Series Working Papers 498, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    3. Johanna Wallenius & Richard Rogerson, 2011. "Fixed Costs, Retirement and the Elasticity of Labor Supply," 2011 Meeting Papers 250, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    4. Jurgen Faik & Uwe Fachinger, 2013. "The decomposition of well-being categories: An application to Germany," Working Papers 307, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    retirement; consumption;

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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