An experimental test on dynamic consumption and lump-sum pensions
- Enrique Fatás 1
- Juan A. Lacomba 2
- Francisco Lagos 2
- Ana I. Moro-Egido 2
- 1 University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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2
Universidad de Granada
info
ISSN: 1869-4195
Año de publicación: 2013
Volumen: 4
Número: 4
Páginas: 393-413
Tipo: Artículo
Otras publicaciones en: SERIEs : Journal of the Spanish Economic Association
Resumen
This article examines the potential risks on consumption behavior of lump-sum payments. As a pension, lump-sum payments could be consumed too fast and generate an increase of poverty rates. We experimentally investigate consumption behavior in an inter-temporal decision-making setting. Subjects make consumption and saving decisions in an environment with two central features: first, there exists a decreasing probability of survival; and second, in addition to the regular income they get while active, they receive a unique lump-sum payment when retired. The results of this experiment show that rather than consuming too much during their income periods, subjects show a persistent precautionary saving behavior and over-save in the vast majority of periods. This result seems to be mainly driven by the risk averse individuals.
Información de financiación
We thank people from CREED (Amsterdam) for helpful comments during the elaboration of the experimental design and seminar participants at Malaga, Tucson, Granada and Rome. Financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (SEJ2009-11117/ECON) and Junta de Andalucía (P07-SEJ-03261) is gratefully acknowledged.Financiadores
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Economic and Social Research Council
United Kingdom
- ES/H004831/1
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Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte
Spain
- SEJ2009-11117/ECON
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Junta de Andalucía
Spain
- P07-SEJ-03261