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Optimal Financial Literacy and Saving for Retirement

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  • Annamaria Lusardi
  • Pierre-Carl Michaud
  • Olivia Mitchell

Abstract

Recent studies show that financial literacy is strongly positively related to household wealth, but there is also substantial cross-sectional variation in both financial literacy and wealth levels. To explore these patterns, the authors develop a calibrated stochastic life cycle model which features endogeneous financial literacy accumulation. Their model generates substantial wealth inequality, over and above what standard lifecycle models produce. This is due to the fact that higher earners typically have more hump-shaped labor income profiles and lower retirement benefits which, when interacted with the precautionary saving motive, boosts their need for private wealth accumulation and thus financial literacy. They show that the fraction of the population which is rationally "financially ignorant" depends on the level of labor income uncertainty as well as the generosity of the retirement system.

Suggested Citation

  • Annamaria Lusardi & Pierre-Carl Michaud & Olivia Mitchell, 2011. "Optimal Financial Literacy and Saving for Retirement," Working Papers WR-905-SSA, RAND Corporation.
    • Handle: RePEc:ran:wpaper:wr-905-ssa
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Luca Spataro & Lorenzo Corsini, 2017. "Endogenous Financial Literacy, Saving, and Stock Market Participation," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 73(2), pages 135-162, June.
    3. Lalime, Thomas & Michaud, Pierre-Carl, 2014. "Littératie financière et préparation à la retraite au Québec et dans le reste du Canada," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 90(1), pages 23-45, Mars.
    4. Rui Yao & Yilan Xu, 2015. "Chinese Urban Households’ Security Market Participation: Does Investment Knowledge and Having a Long-Term Plan Help?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 328-339, September.
    5. Corsini, Lorenzo & Giannelli, Gianna Claudia, 2021. "Economics education and financial literacy acquisition: Evidence from a field experiment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    6. Martina Manfre' & Viola Angelini, 2018. "Does The Financial Situation affect Cheating Behavior? An Investigation through Financial Literacy," Working Papers 06/2018, University of Verona, Department of Economics.
    7. Millimet, Daniel L. & McDonough, Ian K. & Fomby, Thomas B., 2015. "Financial Literacy and Food Security in Extremely Vulnerable Households," IZA Discussion Papers 9103, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Ali Coskun & Muhammed Abdullah Sahin & Alperen Zengin, 2019. "Financial Literacy in Turkey: A field study to touch base with the OECD," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 8(3), pages 01-16, May.
    9. Baulkaran, Vishaal, 2022. "Personal bankruptcy and consumer credit delinquency: The case of personal finance education," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    10. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2014. "The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 5-44, March.
    11. Caliendo, Frank N. & Findley, T. Scott, 2013. "Time inconsistency and retirement planning," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 121(1), pages 30-34.
    12. Paul Gerrans & Richard Heaney, 2019. "The impact of undergraduate personal finance education on individual financial literacy, attitudes and intentions," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(1), pages 177-217, March.
    13. Annamaria Lusardi, 2011. "Americans' Financial Capability," NBER Working Papers 17103, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Holzmann, Robert & Ayuso, Mercedes & Alaminos, Estefanía & Bravo, Jorge Miguel, 2019. "Life Cycle Saving and Dissaving Revisited across Three-Tiered Income Groups: Starting Hypotheses, Refinement through Literature Review, and Ideas for Empirical Testing," IZA Discussion Papers 12655, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Pongpat Putthinun & Somtip Watanapongvanich & Mostafa Saidur Rahim Khan & Yoshihiko Kadoya, 2021. "Financial Literacy and Alcohol Drinking Behavior: Evidence from Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-13, August.
    16. Margherita Fort & Francesco Manaresi & Serena Trucchi, 2016. "Adult financial literacy and households’ financial assets: the role of bank information policies," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 31(88), pages 743-782.

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