Asset allocation decisions in retirement accounts

Abstract

An examination of survey responses about Individual Retirement Account (IRA) holdings reveals that individuals often take all-or-nothing approaches in their decisions to diversify across the asset categories of cash, bonds, and equity. Two thirds of survey respondents put their entire IRA holdings into a single asset category. A surprisingly large proportion of funds is held in cash, while only a minimal amount is invested in bonds. These findings also contrast with those of Bodie and Crane’s (1997) examination of TIAA-CREF participants, which is heavily weighted with individuals holding fixed income annuities. Our results suggest that there is a compelling need for risk education for investors. © 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

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