Wiebke Szymczak

Dr. Wiebke Szymczak


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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MAMartin Angerer
Martin Angerer
Michael HankeMichael Hanke
Michael Hanke
ESEkaterina Shakina
Ekaterina Shakina
WSWiebke Szymczak
Wiebke Szymczak
We examine how institutional saving mechanisms influence retirement saving decisions under bounded rationality and income risk. Using a life-cycle experiment with habit formation and loss aversion, we test mandatory and voluntary binding savings under deterministic and stochastic income. Voluntary commitment improves saving performance only when income is predictable; under uncertainty, it fails to improve performance. Mandatory savings do not raise total saving, as participants reduce voluntary contributions. These results emphasize the role of income smoothing in enabling behavioral interventions to improve long-term financial outcomes.