Cornell University
Library
Cornell UniversityLibrary

eCommons

Help
Log In(current)
  1. Home
  2. Cornell University Graduate School
  3. Cornell Theses and Dissertations
  4. A Pathway to Financial Stability in Retirement? Annuities and Consumers Preferences

A Pathway to Financial Stability in Retirement? Annuities and Consumers Preferences

File(s)
Alexander_cornell_0058O_12073.pdf (5.91 MB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://doi.org/10.7298/21a7-g969
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/115795
Collections
Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Author
Alexander, Michael
Abstract

In this thesis, we attempt to determine the nature and degree of consumers’ inhibitions to annuitization. We find potential answers under both the rational frame and what appear to be psychologically induced behavioral biases to what would otherwise be an unimpeded valuation of the product, the features that comprise it, and their covert NPV. We find that consumers’ valuative decision-making process and subsequent degree of elicited preference appear to not be fully rational and that the inhibitors we identify vary in scope and degree between demographic indicators and psychographic markers. These should remain mostly unchanged as we move to constrain our observations to these groups if consumers were evaluating the products within a fully rational frame of valuation. That said, the preliminary nature of our results require we refine our means of observation and analysis before we are able to make a more final assertion as to consumers’ degree of rational valuation versus their potential behavioral inhibitions. These improvements will permit us to better confirm the presence of those biases and more accurately determine the extent of their role, if indeed present, in the misvaluation of the annuity as an investment vehicle and its perceived reliability to smooth consumption. In full acknowledgment of the work that remains to be done, we look forward to more conclusive results.

Description
147 pages
Date Issued
2024-05
Keywords
Annuity
•
Annuity Puzzle
•
Behavioral Economics
•
Consumer Behavior
•
Retirement Investing
•
Wealth Management
Committee Chair
Shu, Suzanne
Committee Member
Turvey, Calum
Degree Discipline
Applied Economics and Management
Degree Name
M.S., Applied Economics and Management
Degree Level
Master of Science
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Type
dissertation or thesis
Link(s) to Catalog Record
https://newcatalog.library.cornell.edu/catalog/16575612

Site Statistics | Help

About eCommons | Policies | Terms of use | Contact Us

copyright © 2002-2026 Cornell University Library | Privacy | Web Accessibility Assistance