OPTIMAL INVESTMENT FOR A DEFINED-CONTRIBUTION PENSION SCHEME UNDER A REGIME SWITCHING MODEL

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
An Chen ◽  
Łukasz Delong

AbstractWe study an asset allocation problem for a defined-contribution (DC) pension scheme in its accumulation phase. We assume that the amount contributed to the pension fund by a pension plan member is coupled with the salary income which fluctuates randomly over time and contains both a hedgeable and non-hedgeable risk component. We consider an economy in which macroeconomic risks are existent. We assume that the economy can be in one ofIstates (regimes) and switches randomly between those states. The state of the economy affects the dynamics of the tradeable risky asset and the contribution process (the salary income of a pension plan member). To model the switching behavior of the economy we use a counting process with stochastic intensities. We find the investment strategy which maximizes the expected exponential utility of the discounted excess wealth over a target payment, e.g. a target lifetime annuity.

Author(s):  
Bright O. Osu ◽  
Kevin N. C. Njoku ◽  
Ben I. Oruh

This work investigates the effect of Inflation and the impact of hedging on the optimal investment strategies for a prospective investor in a DC pension scheme, using inflation-indexed bond and inflation-linked stock. The model used here permits the plan member to make a defined contribution, as provided in the Nigerian Pension Reform Act of 2004. The pension plan member is allowed to invest in risk-free asset (cash), and two risky assets (i.e., the inflation-indexed bond and inflation-linked stock). A stochastic differential equation of the pension wealth that takes into account certain agreed proportions of the plan member’s salary, paid as contribution towards the pension fund, is constructed and presented. The Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (H-J-B) equation, Legendre transformation, and dual theory are used to obtain the explicit solution of the optimal investment strategies for CRRA utility function. Our investigation reveals that the inflation have significant negative effect on wealth investment strategies, particularly, the RRA(w) is not constant with the investment strategy, since the inflation parameters and coefficient of CRRA utility function have insignificant input on the investment strategies, and also the inflation-indexed bond and inflation-linked stock has a positive damping effect (hedging) on the severe effect of inflation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyun Sun ◽  
Zhongfei Li ◽  
Yongwu Li

We consider a portfolio selection problem for a defined contribution (DC) pension plan under the mean-variance criteria. We take into account the inflation risk and assume that the salary income process of the pension plan member is stochastic. Furthermore, the financial market consists of a risk-free asset, an inflation-linked bond, and a risky asset with Heston’s stochastic volatility (SV). Under the framework of game theory, we derive two extended Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equations systems and give the corresponding verification theorems in both the periods of accumulation and distribution of the DC pension plan. The explicit expressions of the equilibrium investment strategies, corresponding equilibrium value functions, and the efficient frontiers are also obtained. Finally, some numerical simulations and sensitivity analysis are presented to verify our theoretical results.


Author(s):  
Xiaoyi Zhang ◽  
Junyi Guo

In this paper we investigate the optimal investment strategy for a defined contribution (DC) pension plan during the decumulation phrase which is risk-averse and pays close attention to inflation risk. The plan aims to maximize the expected constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) utility from the terminal wealth by investing the wealth in a financial market consisting of an inflation-indexed bond, an ordinary zero coupon bond and a risk-free asset. We derive the optimal investment strategy in closed-form using the dynamic programming approach by solving the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation. Our theoretical and numerical results reveal that under some rational assumptions, an inflation-indexed bond do has significant advantage to hedge inflation risk.


Author(s):  
Danping Li ◽  
Junna BI ◽  
Mengcong Hu

This paper considers an alpha-robust optimal investment problem for a defined contribution (DC) pension plan with uncertainty about jump and diffusion risks in a mean-variance framework. Our model allows the pension manager to have different levels of ambiguity aversion, rather than only consider the extremely ambiguity-averse attitude. Moreover, in the DC pension plan, contributions are supposed to be a predetermined amount of money as premiums and the pension funds are allowed to be invested in a financial market which consists of a risk-free asset, and a risky asset satisfying a jump-diffusion process. Notice that a part of pension members could die during the accumulation phase, and their premiums should be withdrawn. Thus, we consider the return of premiums clauses by an actuarial method and assume that the surviving members will share the difference between the return and the accumulation equally. Taking account of the pension fund size and the volatility of the accumulation, a mean-variance criterion as the investment objective for the DC plan can be formulated. By applying a game theoretic framework, the equilibrium investment strategies and the corresponding equilibrium value functions can be obtained explicitly. Economic interpretations are given in the numerical simulation, which is presented to illustrate our results.


Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (15) ◽  
pp. 1756
Author(s):  
Yang Wang ◽  
Xiao Xu ◽  
Jizhou Zhang

This paper is concerned with the optimal investment strategy for a defined contribution (DC) pension plan. We assumed that the financial market consists of a risk-free asset and a risky asset, where the risky asset is subject to the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (O-U) process, and stochastic income and inflation risk were also considered in the model. We firstly derived the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation through the stochastic control method. Secondly, under the logarithmic utility function, the closed-form solution of optimal asset allocation was obtained by using the Legendre transform method. Finally, we give several numerical examples and a financial analysis.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
PAUL GERRANS ◽  
GORDON L. CLARK

AbstractWe report analysis of voluntary switching from defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC) plans in an environment best characterised as benign. Using a large Australian fund database we identify socio-demographic correlates and the macroeconomic circumstances associated with DB to DC switching. The age of participants is an important correlate of switching behaviour, suggesting a degree of risk tolerance previously not recognised in the literature. It is also noted, however, that this type of switching behaviour may involve secondary behaviour such that uncertainties of DC investment performance are managed by reference to an asset allocation formula that maps to the previous DB investment strategy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Aimin Song ◽  
Peimin Chen

With the global outbreak of new coronavirus pneumonia, more and more countries have entered the state of sealing off cities. After the epidemic, with the shortage of some materials, the economy is very likely to enter the state of inflation. Thereby, it is necessary and urgent for us to reconsider investment problems involving inflation risk. In this paper, we mainly study the optimal investment strategy of two defined contribution (DC) pension managers with strategy interaction under inflation risk. The traditional portfolio literatures mainly focus on DC pension plan and try to maximize the expected utility of terminal nominal wealth. In this paper, we consider the more complicated situation that pension managers have, both concerns on relative wealth and relative risk aversion. Then, the objective function is constructed to satisfy these two concerns. The dynamic programming principle method is employed to solve the above problems, and a series of analytical solutions to this problem are obtained. Finally, some numerical examples are discussed for the economic implications to support our theoretical results.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiling Wu

This paper studies an investment-consumption problem under inflation. The consumption price level, the prices of the available assets, and the coefficient of the power utility are assumed to be sensitive to the states of underlying economy modulated by a continuous-time Markovian chain. The definition of admissible strategies and the verification theory corresponding to this stochastic control problem are presented. The analytical expression of the optimal investment strategy is derived. The existence, boundedness, and feasibility of the optimal consumption are proven. Finally, we analyze in detail by mathematical and numerical analysis how the risk aversion, the correlation coefficient between the inflation and the stock price, the inflation parameters, and the coefficient of utility affect the optimal investment and consumption strategy.


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