Planning for Retirement? The Importance of Time Preferences

Robert L. Clark (), Robert Hammond and Christelle Khalaf
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Robert L. Clark: North Carolina State University

Journal of Labor Research, 2019, vol. 40, issue 2, No 1, 127-150

Abstract: Abstract Ensuring retirement income security is a priority for individuals, employers, and policymakers. To achieve this, employers and policymakers sponsor and subsidize retirement saving plans and provide educational interventions. The effectiveness of these tools will depend on individuals’ interest and willingness to engage in planning and preparing for retirement. Using merged administrative and survey data for public sector workers in North Carolina, we find that individuals who more heavily discount the future are less likely to plan and save for retirement. Further, retirement planning behavior is measured both subjectively and objectively, and time preferences have an association with subjectively measured retirement planning but not with objectively measured retirement planning. Finally, individuals’ retirement timing is associated with time preferences but only among individuals with a retirement plan. In total, our results highlight the important role of time preferences in determining retirement planning and preparedness.

Keywords: Retirement planning; Time preferences; Impatience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Working Paper: Planning for Retirement? The Importance of Time Preferences (2017)
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DOI: 10.1007/s12122-019-09287-y

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