Do Older Investors Make Better Investment Decisions?

65 Pages Posted: 20 Mar 2006 Last revised: 11 Jul 2009

See all articles by George M. Korniotis

George M. Korniotis

University of Miami - Department of Finance

Alok Kumar

University of Miami - Miami Herbert Business School

Date Written: July 1, 2009

Abstract

This paper examines the investment decisions of older individual investors. We find that older and experienced investors are more likely to follow "rules of thumb" that reflect greater investment knowledge. However, older investors are less effective in applying their investment knowledge and exhibit worse investment skill, especially if they are less educated, earn lower income, and belong to minority racial/ethnic groups. Overall, the adverse effects of aging dominate the positive effects of experience. These results indicate that older investors' portfolio decisions reflect greater knowledge about investing but investment skill deteriorates with age due to the adverse effects of cognitive aging.

Keywords: Older individual investors, cognitive aging, investment experience, learning, rules of thumb, investment skill

JEL Classification: D14, G11, J14

Suggested Citation

Korniotis, George M. and Kumar, Alok, Do Older Investors Make Better Investment Decisions? (July 1, 2009). Review of Economics and Statistics, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=767125

George M. Korniotis

University of Miami - Department of Finance ( email )

P.O. Box 248094
Coral Gables, FL 33124-6552
United States
305-284-5728 (Phone)

Alok Kumar (Contact Author)

University of Miami - Miami Herbert Business School ( email )

517B Jenkins Building
Department of Finance
Coral Gables, FL 33124-6552
United States
305-284-1882 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://sites.google.com/view/alokmiami/home

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