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Retirement sorted? The adequacy and optimality of wealth among the near-retired

Author

Listed:
  • Rowena Crawford

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies and Institute for Fiscal Studies)

  • Cormac O'Dea

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies and Yale University)

Abstract
Much of the focus of the UK pensions policy debate over the past decade has been on the adequacy (or otherwise) of private retirement saving. In this paper, we present the first assessment of the optimality of the retirement resources of English couple households born in the 1940s. Here, ‘optimal’ wealth holdings are those that allow households to enjoy the same level of living standards in both working life and retirement. We use a life-cycle model of consumption and saving to calculate this level of wealth, and compare that with how much wealth households are observed to hold. We find that the majority of households hold more wealth than our model suggests is optimal and that this would still be true even if housing wealth were excluded from observed wealth holdings. A comparison of this approach with the replacement rate approach commonly used to assess the adequacy of households’ retirement resources suggests that using a simple replacement rate benchmark could give a misleading picture of households’ preparedness for retirement as it cannot capture the vast heterogeneity in households’ circumstances. Figure. Comparing observed and optimal wealth holdings Figure. Comparing observed and optimal wealth holdings This paper wasl presented at the 'Are you prepared for retirement?' conference.

Suggested Citation

  • Rowena Crawford & Cormac O'Dea, 2014. "Retirement sorted? The adequacy and optimality of wealth among the near-retired," IFS Working Papers W14/23, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:ifs:ifsewp:14/23
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Binswanger, Johannes & Schunk, Daniel, 2012. "What is an adequate standard of living during Retirement?," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 203-222, April.
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    9. Rowena Crawford & Cormac O'Dea, 2014. "Cash and Pensions: Have the elderly in England saved optimally for retirement?," IFS Working Papers W14/22, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    10. Shane Frederick & George Loewenstein & Ted O'Donoghue, 2002. "Time Discounting and Time Preference: A Critical Review," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(2), pages 351-401, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kanabar, Ricky, 2017. "In or out? Poverty dynamics among older individuals in the UK," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(4), pages 509-553, October.
    2. Beirne, Keelan & Nolan, Anne & Roantree, Barra, 2020. "Income adequacy in retirement: Evidence from the Irish longitudinal study on ageing (TILDA)," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS107.

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