Investment Choice and Savings in Defined Contribution Pensions

This article presents econometric evidence from Health and Retirement Study on the role that investment choice plays in the participants' saving levels in the defined contribution (DC) pensions. I distinguish the effect of unconstrained investment choice from the one constrained in company stocks. My preferred estimates indicate that participants with investment choice contribute over three percentage points more of their salary into the DC plan than people without choice, and people constrained in company stocks contribute about three percentage points less in their retirement saving account.