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Journal of Financial Economics Vol. 124 No. 1 2017

Who is internationally diversified? Evidence from the 401(k) plans of 296 firms

Geert Bekaert1,2; Kenton Hoyem3; Wei-Yin Hu3; Enrichetta Ravina1

1 Columbia Business School, 3022 Broadway, New York, NY 10024, United States · 2 NBER, 1050 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States · 3 Financial Engines, Inc., 1050 Enterprise Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94089, United States

Abstract

Drawing on a novel database of the 401(k) plans of 296 firms, we examine the international equity allocations of 3.8 million individuals over the 2005–2011 period. We find enormous cross-individual variation, ranging from zero to more than 75%, and strong cohort effects, with younger cohorts investing more internationally than older ones and each cohort investing more internationally over time. Access to financial advice, lower fees, and more international fund choices are associated with higher international allocations, suggesting a role for plan design and policy. Education, financial literacy, and the fraction of foreign-born population in the ZIP code also have positive effects on international diversification, consistent with explanations based on familiarity bias and information barriers.

DOI
10.1016/j.jfineco.2016.12.010
Volume
124
Issue
1
Pages
86-112
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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