We study the financial competence of Australian retirement savers using self-assessed and quantified measures. Responses to numeracy and basic and sophisticated financial literacy questions show large variation and compare poorly with international surveys. We graph the relationships between...

We study the financial competence of Australian retirement savers using self-assessed and quantified measures. Responses to numeracy and basic and sophisticated financial literacy questions show large variation and compare poorly with international surveys. We graph the relationships between...

Economists have long been puzzled by the low demand for life annuities. To shed new light on this puzzle, we study payout choices in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System, where each retiree must choose between a lump sum and a life annuity. Notably, the average life annuity we study is...

Sequence-of-returns risk amplifies the impacts of investment volatility when taking distributions from a volatile investment portfolio in retirement. There are four techniques for managing this sequence risk: reduce the spending rate, adjust spending to portfolio performance, reduce portfolio...

This study utilizes a nationally representative proprietary dataset to examine the annuitization decisions of retirees. The results indicate that consulting a financial advisor, retirement duration, and risk aversion are positive predictors of annuity ownership. The results also indicate that...

We develop and simulate a stochastic lifecycle model to investigate optimal annuity purchases at retirement. Retirees can invest in risky assets, purchase fairly priced immediate or deferred lifetime annuities, and are eligible for a targeted safety net pension. We match baseline parameters to...