Bequests as a motive for saving up for old age
Bequests as a motive for saving up for old age

Summary/Abstract: The main goal of this article is to describe the attitudes towards bequests as the motive for saving up for old age. The article reports the results of our own qualitative and quantitative research. The reasons for additional, voluntary saving up for old age, as seen in the conducted qualitative study are: creating a safety net against illnesses that often inevitably come with ageing, a wish to fulfill one’s dreams when retired, consumption smoothing during the entire lifetime, leaving a bequest, possession of savings with no particular aim and the lack of trust in the state pension system. For making voluntary savings for old age the most significant are the will to keep the current standard of life and creating a safety net against an illness. Definitely less significant is saving for the sake of it and leaving a bequest. Taking into consideration the factors contributing to gathering means for bequests, the research results indicate that most frequently several motives co-occur. Even if respondents declare a clear motive, for instance the altruistic one, they will still indicate conditions that limit the fully selfless transfer of their wealth.

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