Cairns, Andrew J. G., Blake, David and Dowd, Kevin (2004) Stochastic lifestyling: optimal dynamic asset allocation for defined contribution pension plans. Financial Markets Group Discussion Papers (443). Financial Markets Group, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK. (Submitted)
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Abstract
This paper considers the asset-allocation strategies open to members of defined- contribution pension plans. We investigate a model that incorporates three sources of risk: asset risk and salary (or labour-income) risk in the accumulation phase; and interest-rate risk at the point of retirement. We propose a new form of terminal utility function, incorporating habit formation, that uses the plan member's final salary as a numeraire. The paper discusses various properties and characteristics of the optimal stochastic asset-allocation strategy (which we call stochastic lifestyling) both with and without the presence of non-hedgeable salary risk. We compare the performance of stochastic lifestlying with some popular strategies used by pension providers, including deterministic lifestyling (which involves a gradual switch from equities to bonds according to preset rules) and static strategies that invest in benchmark mixed funds. We find that the use of stochastic lifestyling significantly enhances the welfare of a wide range of potential plan members relative to these other strategies.
| Item Type: | Monograph (Discussion Paper) |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | © 2004 The Authors |
| Divisions: | Financial Markets Group |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory |
| JEL classification: | G - Financial Economics > G1 - General Financial Markets > G11 - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions G - Financial Economics > G2 - Financial Institutions and Services > G23 - Pension Funds; Other Private Financial Institutions E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E2 - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment > E21 - Macroeconomics: Consumption; Saving; Aggregate Physical and Financial Consumer Wealth |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Aug 2009 11:22 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Sep 2024 19:53 |
| URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/24831 |
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