We document substantial positive scale economies in asset management using a defined benefit pension plan database. The largest plans outperform smaller ones by 43-50 basis points per year. Between a third and one half of these gains arise from cost savings related to internal management, where...

The Pension Bene fit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) registers a preoccupying financial condition since 2002. This paper builds a theoretical framework for defi ning its optimal asset allocation in a continuous-time stochastic world. We first recognize the PBGC 's put seller nature and derive...

The paper deals with taxation effects on optimal portfolio rules of de fined contribution (DC) and de fined benefi t (DB) pension funds in a continuous-time setting. Following practice, three tax types are considered: on contributions, investment gains and pensions. We focus on the tax effects...

We analyze the rationale for the pay-as-you-go (paygo) pension system existence on diversi fication grounds. A continuous-time portfolio choice setting is built, basing on Merton (1971)´s analysis, where a reasonable balance between the taking account of the economic and fi nancial facets of...

This paper compares two different types of annuity providers, i.e. defined benefit pension funds and life insurance companies. One of the key differences is that the residual risk in pension funds is collectively borne by the beneficiaries and the sponsor's shareholders while in the case of life...

This paper examines the impact of participants' age distribution on the asset allocation of Dutch pension funds, using a unique data set of pension fund investment plans for 2007. Theory predicts a negative effect of age on (strategic) equity exposures. We observe that pension funds do indeed...

This paper examines the impact of participants' age distribution on the asset allocation of Dutch pension funds, using a unique data set of pension fund investment plans for 2007. Theory predicts a negative effect of age on (strategic) equity exposures. We observe that pension funds do indeed...

This paper assesses the sophistication of pension funds' investment policies using data on 748 Dutch pension funds during the 1999-2006 period. We develop three indicators of sophistication: gross rounding of investment choices, investments in alternative sophisticated asset classes and 'home...

Defined benefit pension plans provide their beneficiaries with a prespecified retirement income related to years of service and wage. However, as pension contracts are not entirely legally enforceable, such payments of defined benefit pension plans are not completely irreversible. The pension...

The main aim of this paper is to analyze if pension funds managers are able to implement style timing strategies, one topic very important for an efficient management of an investment portfolio. Besides it is analyzed the stock-picking abilities of these managers. To this end, conditional and...