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IFS-STICERD Public Economics Seminar

Couples' and Singles' Savings After Retirement

Eric French (University College London), joint with Mariacristina De Nardi, John Bailey Jones and Rory McGee

Wednesday 28 February 2018 16:30 - 13:45

Many of our seminars and public events this year will continue as in person or as hybrid (online and in person) events. Please check our website listings and Twitter feed @STICERD_LSE for updates.

Unless otherwise specified, in-person seminars are open to the public. Please ensure you have informed the event contact as early as possible.

Those unable to join the seminars in-person are welcome to participate via zoom if the event is hybrid.


About this event

Not only retired couples hold more assets than singles, but high-income couples grow their savings during most of their retirement period. Why are they saving so much? Do they expect high medical expenses, do they deeply care about the welfare of their surviving spouse upon death, or do they want to leave bequests to others? What happens to savings when one of the members of the couple dies and why? We build a model of retired couples and singles facing uncertain longevity and medical expenses in which couples and singles can have different bequest motives. Both might care about heirs, but couples might also care about their surviving spouse. We use the AHEAD data and the method of simulated moments to estimate our model and disentangle the importance of saving motives of couples and singles. We also evaluate the effects of a Medicaid expansion on the savings and bequests of couples and singles.

This seminar series is jointly organized by the IFS and STICERD.

IFS-STICERD Public Economics seminars are held on Wednesdays in term time at 12.30-13.45 IN PERSON at the IFS.

Seminar organisers: Stuart Adam (IFS), Monica Costa Dias (IFS), Xavier Jaravel (LSE), Camille Landais (LSE), Attila Lindner (UCL), Joana Naritomi (LSE), and Johannes Spinnewijn (LSE).

For further information please contact Peter Levell: peter_l@ifs.org.uk .

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