This paper shows that the two main models in the buffer stock saving literature can be nested in a model that varies the level of available social insurance. Equivalently, the assumption about the time series process for labor income (and social insurance during unemployment) is crucial in...

In a one-state one-control variable Quadratic Linear Problem, I examine the effect of an increase in the multiplicative uncertainty on the use of the control variable. In contrast with previous studies, this model considers a stochastic constant term in the transition equation. I found that the...

In this essay, it is shown that in the Hoel and Karp (2001) model of global warming, the optimal response of taxes for a stock pollutant with mutiplicative uncertainty is opposite when the control variable is pollution taxes instead of emissions. In this case, the election of control variable...

In this paper an analytical framework using robust control was developed for the one-state and one-control variable model to examine the response of the control to changes in the "free" parameter. However, in contrast to Gonzalez and Rodriguez (2003), the sign of the ``free" parameter in the...

Motivated by the success of internal habit formation preferences in explaining asset pricing puzzles, we introduce these preferences in a life-cycle model of consumption and portfolio choice with liquidity constraints, undiversifiable labor income risk and stock-market participation costs. In...

This paper solves numerically for the optimal consumption and portfolio choice of an infinitely lived investor facing short-sales and borrowing constraints, undiversifiable labor income risk and a predictable time varying equity premium. The investor aggressively times the market while positive...

We solve a model with incomplete markets and heterogeneous agents that generates a large equity premium, while simultaneously matching stock market participation and individual asset holdings. The high risk premium is driven by incomplete risk sharing among stockholders, which results from the...

We investigate whether a rare event (like the default of the annuity provider) can explain the annuity market participation puzzle. High risk aversion is needed to change behavior in the presence of such a disastrous shock but higher risk aversion also makes annuities more valuable. Therefore,...

We use a general equilibrium life-cycle model with incomplete markets and heterogeneous agents to evaluate the macroeconomic and welfare implications of Defined Benefit (DB) versus Defined Contribution (DC) systems, and to investigate the effects of incremental reform within a particular system....