Topic: Personal Finance
Maximizing Retirement Savings: More Nudging Required
Tweaking 401(k) website design and language can significantly boost worker contributions, yet HR doesn’t always see these opportunities
Joint Bank Accounts Make for Happier Couples
Those who keep finances separate are likelier to split up, be less satisfied with their relationship
Ignorance — About One’s Investments, Anyway — Isn’t Always Bliss
Valentin Haddad’s research looks at the phenomenon of “information aversion,” when individual investors stop tracking their portfolios for fear of bad news
How Will You Spend Your IPO Windfall?
“Uh, I already bought a house”: Tech workers spend ahead of actual stock sales
Helping People Make Wise Decisions for Retirement Income
Nudges, long aimed at saving behavior, are needed for people converting a nest egg into income
Good Information Alone Won’t Drive Financial Well-Being
A review of academic research finds the path to saving more and spending less often involves emotional prompts
Future-self Nudge Works Even Better in Reverse
Starting with your future self and looking back to your current self increases likelihood of saving
Fresh-Start Framing Boosts Retirement Plan Participation
A behavioral nudge passes a real-world test with 6,000 workers
Education Pays Off Handsomely, but Borrowing for It Makes People Unhappy
Student debt weighs on happiness more than mortgages or credit card loans
Does Spending Mean You’re Wealthy?
To many, yes, and that belief leads to lower levels of financial well-being
Do Money Troubles Make It Harder to Daydream?
Popular notion that the poor console themselves with fantasy is perhaps more a comfort to the rich
Did Bank Capital Rules Make Credit Card Borrowing More Expensive?
Though defaults are low, rates on credit card loan-backed notes are high
Culture Affects How People Save Money
Immigrants show saving tendencies that carry through several generations
Consumer Spending and Jobless Data: a Peculiar Threshold
A 12-month high in local unemployment triggers savings behavior
CD Withdrawal Penalties: Often More Than Worth the Risk
Banks know you won’t do the math: Even after a penalty for early withdrawal, the longer-term CD often nets out to a better deal
Cashless Payments: Faster Transactions, Easier Borrowing and Increased Household Income
System provides digital record of payments for India’s vast self-employed ranks, satisfying lenders, and raising the likelihood of starting a business