
The Academy of Financial Services (AFS) is excited to be collaborating with FPA to provide an "integrated conference experience" for AFS members this year. The AFS research conference will run for the full 2.5 days of the FPA Conference as part of a dedicated research track bringing the best of AFS and the Journal of Financial Planning (JFP) to you.
Motivation enhances productivity and satisfaction in achieving investment goals because goal-directed behavior regulates processes, helping investors attain their desired outcomes. This research examines the associations between investment literacy, risk tolerance, and the diverse motivations that drive individuals to invest. This study utilized the 2021 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) and the 2021 Investor Survey datasets to investigate the relationship between investment literacy, risk tolerance, and investment motivations. The study considers six motivational factors that encompass the spectrum of investor intent: short-term investment gain, long-term investment gain, entertainment/engagement, social interactions, social support, social responsibility, and the pursuit of investment. The findings indicate that objective investment knowledge was negatively associated with all investment motivations except for 'long-term horizon' and 'learning investment.' Conversely, subjective investment knowledge showed positive associations with all motivations except for 'long-term horizon.' Risk tolerance exhibited positive associations with all motivations to invest. This study is one of the first attempts to empirically examine the association of investment motivations with investment literacy and financial risk tolerance using a US national dataset. Findings from this study provide important implications for both researchers and practitioners within the consumer financial services sector, shaping future financial planning practices.
Yi Liu, Kyoung Tae Kim, Sunwoo Lee