Subjective Financial Knowledge Research Articles

Behavioral and contextual determinants of different stages of saving behavior

IntroductionSaving is a journey, beginning with the critical decision to initiate the process, take that pivotal first deposit step, and persistently commit to ongoing savings. However, a lot of saving plans fail already before any deposit is made, and even if the first deposit is made, long-run success of savings is far from guaranteed. In this study, we investigate both individual and saving-goal-specific determinants of successful savings.MethodWe use real-life savings data (N = 2,619 saving goals of 808 individuals) from a FinTech company in Sweden that helps individuals save for their goals. In addition, we collect a wide range of individual characteristics related to financial behavior: individuals' objective and subjective financial knowledge, self-control, and information avoidance.Results and discussionOur analysis uncovered distinctive patterns at different stages of the saving process. While objective financial knowledge didn't correlate with how much one saves, it was significantly related to the likelihood of making the first deposit. Furthermore, individuals with high self-control exhibited greater savings, though self-control was not related to the initiation of saving. Interestingly, subjective financial literacy and information avoidance showed no significant association with overall savings behavior. Additionally, our study indicated that the attainability of goals plays a crucial role in depositing funds, with more achievable goals having higher deposit likelihoods. Conversely, ambitious goals, despite their challenging nature, tended to attract more substantial savings. Our findings, grounded in real-life data, provide valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms influencing successful saving behaviors, shedding light on the complexities of financial decision-making and goal pursuit.

How Are You Doing? Financial Well-being During COVID-19

Optimal financial well-being is a goal for both financial professionals and consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about consumers’ financial well-being. This study sought to explore the factors related to financial well-being using the Personal Financial Wellness framework (Joo, 2008). Data was collected from a diverse sample during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicated that objective financial status (e.g., income), positive pre-pandemic financial behaviors, financial satisfaction, and being older and single mattered in one’s increased level of financial well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, financial satisfaction was found to be a mediating factor between subjective financial knowledge and financial well-being. Implications for financial professionals, researchers, and policymakers are provided.

Financial Education Effects on Financial Behavior and Well-Being: The Mediating Roles of Improved Objective and Subjective Financial Knowledge and Parallels in Physical Health

How does financial education lead to improved financial behavior and higher financial well-being? An influential Consumer Financial Protection Bureau model introduced in 2015 proposes that the goal of financial education is to improve financial well-being and that financial education does so by increasing financial knowledge, which improves financial behavior, which improves financial well-being. In this study, the authors test links in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau model, examining the differential roles of objective and subjective knowledge. They also test whether an analogous model might capture effects of physical health education on physical health knowledge, behavior, and well-being. They report a quasi-experiment comparing changes in financial and physical health knowledge, behavior, and well-being at two time points in a semester for students enrolled in a personal finance class, a personal health class, or neither. This study reports the first causal estimates of flow from financial education to financial knowledge to financial behaviors to a validated measure of subjective financial well-being. Financial education caused large changes in both objective and subjective knowledge. Yet only subjective knowledge mediated the large effects of financial education on changes in downstream behaviors. The authors find weaker but similar results for physical health. The findings suggest that financial education efforts should be refocused to foster subjective knowledge and improved behavior.

성장기 가정 금융사회화가 성인기 개인연금 계좌관리에 미치는 영향 : 주관적 및 객관적 금융지식 매개효과를 중심으로

성장기 가정 금융사회화가 성인기 개인연금 계좌관리에 미치는 영향 : 주관적 및 객관적 금융지식 매개효과를 중심으로

Financial literacy during a pandemic

We compare the performance of financial literacy programs launched by the CFA Society Pittsburgh in residential settings (2017–2019) with virtual/hybrid programs during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). Pretest baseline knowledge assessment shows that female students scored lower on subjective and objective financial knowledge questions and self-esteem. However, the global pandemic did not impact the effectiveness of programs based on modality. Students experienced a statistically significant improvement in all four assessment areas of financial literacy. The largest gains in subjective and financial knowledge center on retirement planning. Objective knowl- edge and self-esteem improvements occur most in credit and inflation. Female students experience more significant gains in subjective knowledge, objective knowledge, and self-esteem.

Student loan debt in retirement: identifying the correlates and implications for policy, practice and research

PurposeResearch shows that having student loan debt in retirement is associated negatively with life satisfaction, suggesting that student debt is a bane of retiree well-being. The rationale for this study is to determine the factors related to owing student debt in retirement, given the adverse effects on the well-being of retired households.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes pooled cross-sectional data from the 2015 and 2018 U.S. National Financial Capability Study. The empirical analysis uses a sample of retired Americans aged 65 years and older (N = approximately 8,000) and estimates two-block logistic regression models to examine the effects of demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral factors on student loan indebtedness in retirement. A sensitivity analysis is performed for the subsample of retirees holding student debt for their children's education. Statistical interpretations use odds ratios.FindingsThe findings indicate that financial literacy, age, homeownership and high subjective financial knowledge are associated with a low likelihood of holding student loan debt in retirement. However, being Black, having postsecondary education, having difficulty covering expenses, having financially dependent children, having high-risk preferences and spending more than income increase the likelihood of holding student debt in retirement. The ensuing discussion will assist financial planners and educators identify practical ways to shape decisions regarding student loan debt in retirement.Research limitations/implicationsThe amount of student loan debt is unavailable in the dataset for analysis. One cannot infer causal relations from the study. The factors examined do not reflect the time the student loan was obtained.Originality/valueThe study focuses on the determinants of student loan indebtedness among retired Americans rather than young adults or older adults on the verge of retirement. The paper enhances the understanding of student loan holdings in the decumulation phase of the life cycle. Many US individuals have low retirement savings from which they draw a retirement income. The more the student debt burdens on retired Americans, the greater the likelihood of outliving their resources and experiencing poverty.

Financial literacy

The CFA Society Pittsburgh launched a high school financial literacy campaign resulting in sig- nificant improvements in financial behavior, subjective and objective financial knowledge, and self- esteem. Before the campaign, male students and students with higher grade point averages (GPAs) show better objective knowledge. In addition, we find disconnect between actual and perceived fi- nancial knowledge. Students exhibited gains in all aspects after completing the program. The subca- tegories with the lowest pre-survey scores or female students show the greatest improvements in the post-survey. Students with lower GPAs experienced greater improvement in financial behavior and objective knowledge, while higher GPA students improved more in subjective knowledge.

Objective Financial Knowledge, Subjective Financial Knowledge, and Credit Card Mismanagement: Does Overconfidence Hurt?

This article examines the association between objective and subjective financial knowledge and four types of credit card mismanagement as measured by making minimum payments only in some months, incurring late fees, being over the limit, and taking cash advances. The results of the probit regression models using data from 2018 to 2021 National Financial Capability Study reveal that the relationship between subjective financial knowledge and credit card mismanagement is generally convex instead of monotonic. This study contributes to the current literature by finding that subjective financial knowledge is positively associated with credit card mismanagement. The results also show that objective financial knowledge is negatively related to credit card mismanagement. Overconfidence about financial knowledge is positively associated with credit card mismanagement. Having fewer credit cards and setting aside a 3-month emergency fund lower the probability of mismanaging credit cards.

Multilevel IRT models to explore heterogeneity in subjective financial knowledge at individual and regional levels: the Italian case

IntroductionModern FinTech tools (e.g., instant payments, blockchain, roboadvisor) represent the new frontier of digital finance. Consequently, the evaluation of the knowledge level of the population about these topics is a crucial concern. In this context, several exogenous factors may influence individual differences in financial literacy. In particular, the territorial characteristics can have an impact on FinTech. In this work, we investigate individual heterogeneity in subjective financial knowledge in Italy, specifically focusing on modern FinTech tools, and exploring the differences at the individual and regional levels.MethodsA sample of 598 Italian individuals from 10 different Italian regions was involved. A multilevel IRT model is performed to evaluate the level of FinTech individual knowledge and the differences according to Italian regions to account for the hierarchical structure of the data.ResultsResults reported a weak regional effect, revealing that heterogeneity in financial knowledge can be mainly attributed to individual characteristics. At the individual level, age, economic condition, knowledge of traditional financial objects and numeracy showed a significant effect. In addition, a scientific field of study and work have an impact on respondents' knowledge level.DiscussionWhat is shown and discussed in this contribution can inspire policymakers' actions to increase financial literacy in the population. In particular, the obtained results imply that policymakers should improve the population's awareness of less popular FinTech tools and foster individuals' literacy about numbers and traditional financial tools, which proved to have a great influence in explaining FinTech knowledge differences.

Exploring financial behaviors of military households


 
 
 This study explores short-term and long-term financial behaviors of military and civilian house- holds in the United States. We investigate the role of financial knowledge and financial education on financial behaviors. Using the 2018 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS), results indicated military households had higher financial knowledge scores, greater receipt of financial education, and higher financial behaviors. Multivariate analyses show that objective and subjective financial knowledge were associated positively with short-term and long-term financial behaviors of military and civilian households. Experiencing financial education was positively associated with the long- term behaviors of military households. This study provides insights for policymakers and financial practitioners.
 
 

Entrepreneurs on their financial literacy: evidence from the Netherlands

ABSTRACT Using a representative survey of Dutch entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals, (i) we measure their subjective financial knowledge and the extent to which they ask for advice when managing their companies, and (ii) we examine whether subjective financial knowledge and the demand for advice are related to the firm economic performance. We find that the respondents feel more comfortable with accounting subjects than they do with strategic ones, of which they feel that they know the least. Entrepreneurs with a greater extent of financial knowledge are more likely to report a higher gross margin and higher revenue growth for their firm. These entrepreneurs are also less likely to seek advice and to delegate financial decisions. Seeking professional advice does not increase the likelihood of an entrepreneur having better performance. Our results suggest that entrepreneurs’ degree of financial knowledge is related to the success of their businesses, while seeking advice is not significantly correlated with better firm performance.

Subjective and Objective Financial Knowledge and Their Associations with Financial Risk Tolerance

This article examines the relationship between the financial risk-taking behavior of individual investors and their subjective and objective knowledge. The data come from multiple waves of surveys conducted by the National Financial Capability Study between 2009 and 2018. We hypothesize that subjective knowledge will have a greater association with risk tolerance than objective knowledge of individual investors. Regression models are estimated with least squares as well as with the ordered logit method. Estimation results show that individual investors’ risk tolerance behavior is associated more with their subjective knowledge than their objective knowledge. This is true in all four surveys separately and in the combined sample. Additionally, as hypothesized, the relative influence of subjective knowledge on risk tolerance, compared to objective knowledge, increases as the survey periods move further away from the financial recession of 2007–2008. This article has important implications for behavioral and personal finance researchers, financial advisors, and regulators.

The impact of financial education on teachers’ financial knowledge

This study examines effective financial education teaching skills among a group of elementary school teachers using a specially designed composite financial literacy score. Data were collected via a 31-hour training program. The aggregate score considers financial self-efficacy, subjective financial knowledge, and financial behavior. We find that this score is correlated with net worth, personal finance training and teaching personal finance. In addition, our findings suggest a direct relationship between financial self-efficacy, subjective financial knowledge, and financial satisfaction with higher levels of positive financial behavior. These results contribute to a growing body of literature on financial knowledge since Puerto Rico is usually not included in this type of research in the U.S. 

Investigating the Antecedents of Investment Intention and the Mediating Effect of Investment Self-efficacy among Young Adults in Shandong, China

Purpose: This study examines the antecedents and predictors of investment intention and the mediating role of investment self-efficacy. The study empirically investigates the complexity of the decision-making process related to financial investment in Shandong, China.
 Design/methodology/approach: The Integrated Behavioral Model underpinned the research. The sample was selected using the judgmental-sampling method. A sample of 313 responses from young income earners aged 25 to 39 was analyzed. Twelve hypotheses were tested using the SmartPLS statistical software.
 Findings: The resultant outcomes contradict the normative theory of finance. The findings revealed that psychological (risk perception and subjective financial knowledge) and sociological (influences of family, friends, and Internet) factors significantly influence the attitude of young income earners toward investment. Investment self-efficacy demonstrates a significant mediating role, as the indirect effect is almost half the total effect. Evidently, subjective financial knowledge positively influences investment self-efficacy, which in turn has a positive influence on investment intent.
 Research limitations/implications: The result is concerning as young wage earners appear overconfident in their financial skills. Policymakers and relevant market actors should strive to improve real financial knowledge, as real financial knowledge is known to be linked with the effectiveness of financial investments. Future research in this area may adopt a mixed-method approach as it has the potential to uncover new variables and provide a broader spectrum to understand the complexity of people's investment decision-making process.
 Originality/value: The study highlights the complexity of the decision-making process. It highlights the central role of self-efficacy in explaining investment intention. The empirical evidence from the world's most populous nation, China, expands the relevance of behavioral finance theory in mainstream finance research.

Technology Acceptance of Neo-Broker Applications: An Empirical Investigation

Disruptive neo-broker applications (NBAs) enable users to access financial markets easily and have attracted millions of investors worldwide. As a gamified implementation for financial services, NBAs provide a unique research setting in which to examine the determinants of NBA acceptance among investors, some of whom are wholly inexperienced in financial products. We propose a research model specifically designed to explain the usage intention of NBAs by drawing on established factors from technology acceptance and financial behavior research. We validated the research model empirically with structural equation modeling (N = 653) and found significant drivers of NBA acceptance. Distinct from previous finance technologies, we confirmed consumption-oriented factors, including performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, price value, and habit as antecedents of NBA usage intention. From the financial perspective, initial trust and overconfidence were identified as further drivers, while overconfidence in turn is shaped by risk aversion and subjective financial knowledge, indicating a mediated effect on NBA acceptance. Thereby, we present the first NBA-tailored acceptance model that links technology characteristics and financial behavior. Correspondingly, we provide implications for theory and practice.

Future time perspective and consumer well-being of millennials: implications for consumer resilience

PurposeThe study investigated the relationship between future time perspective and financial well-being among Chinese working millennials and its serial mediators, such as financial goal clarity, subjective financial knowledge and responsible financial behaviour, to foster consumer resilience in the financial realm.Design/methodology/approachA total of 526 Chinese working millennials (Mage = 31.78) participated in the online survey in response to questions on demographic characteristics and items to measure the variables adopted in the research model. Covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) and AMOS version 27 were used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe results revealed a positive correlation between future time perspective and financial well-being. Moreover, the results showed that financial goal clarity, subjective financial knowledge and responsible financial behaviour serially mediated the correlation between future time perspective and financial well-being.Practical implicationsThe findings provide implications for companies and policymakers to refine their intervention programmes to boost young millennials' future time perspectives in reinforcing their financial knowledge and financial goal clarity which in turn fosters their responsible financial behaviour in contributing to financial well-being in boosting their overall consumer resilience. Future studies should deepen the way in which the studied factors are leveraged as a tool to improve individuals' resilience in the economic realm.Originality/valueThe findings of this study shed light on the underlying mechanisms that drive and promote the financial well-being of Chinese working millennials.

The Moderating Effect of Financial Knowledge on Financial Risk Tolerance

The purpose of this paper is to describe a study that was designed to determine to what extent subjective and objective measures of financial knowledge moderate the relationship between an investor’s financial risk tolerance and demographic factors thought to be important descriptors of an investor’s willingness to take a financial risk. It was determined that those who identified as male, and those with more attained education and income, exhibited higher investment risk tolerance (IRT). Subjective financial knowledge (SFK) was positively associated with IRT. The relationship between gender and IRT was moderated by SFK, whereas the relationship between IRT and age was moderated by objective financial knowledge (OFK). A positive relationship between education and IRT was noted, but the relationship was moderated by OFK, whereas the association between IRT and household income was moderated by SFK. Findings from this study indicate that while SFK and OFK are positively correlated, they are not measuring the same underlying construct, and as such, each moderates IRT relationships differently.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Subjective Financial Knowledge with Financial Satisfaction

In this study, we differentiate subjective financial knowledge from objective financial knowledge and propose that subjective financial knowledge relates to financial satisfaction both directly as well as indirectly through financial behavior. This study used data obtained from a multi-stage random sample of household financial officers in Kerala, India (n=450). Results showed that subjective financial knowledge significantly relates to household financial officers’ financial satisfaction after controlling for objective financial knowledge and other socioeconomic factors. The relationship between subjective financial knowledge and financial satisfaction could be both direct and indirect through financial behavior. The findings suggest that financial education programs should focus on enhancing not only objective financial knowledge but also subjective financial knowledge for engaging in responsible financial behavior, which in turn relates to financial satisfaction.

The relationships of financial literacy with both financial behavior and financial well‐being: Meta‐analyses based on the selective literature review

AbstractThis study conducted meta‐analyses of the relationships between financial literacy and both financial behavior and financial well‐being. Peer‐reviewed articles published on financial literacy in the field of consumer studies were collected by July 29, 2020. Fourteen articles were eligible for the meta‐analyses. The results showed positive relationships of financial knowledge with desirable financial behavior and financial well‐being. Our comparison of objective and subjective financial knowledge indicated that subjective knowledge had stronger relationships with both financial behavior and financial well‐being than objective knowledge. These two types of knowledge also had different paths to financial well‐being in that subjective knowledge had both direct and indirect effects on financial well‐being through financial behavior, whereas objective knowledge only had an indirect effect. The relationship between financial knowledge and financial behavior appeared stronger in cross‐sectional data than in longitudinal data. The implications of these results and possible directions for future consumer science research were discussed.

Relationship between Subjective Financial Knowledge and Financial Well-Being: The Mediating Role of the Financial Executive Function

This research aimed to examine the mediating role of financial executive function in the relationship between subjective financial knowledge or self-confidence in one's financial knowledge and financial well-being. A quantitative design was used, with a descriptive and correlational scope. The scales of subjective financial knowledge, financial well-being and financial executive function was applied to 554 university students from Temuco, Chile. The results show that subjective financial knowledge has an indirect effect on the financial control dimension of Financial Well-being, mediated by organization and planning of the executive function scale. Likewise, it was found that subjective financial knowledge had an indirect effect on the dimension of having financial stress through the planning dimension of the executive function scale. It is concluded that it is important to strengthen organization and planning to improve financial well-being, which could be done from an intervention based on financial literacy.