Financial Market Participation Of Immigrants And Native-Born Americans: The Role Of Income Uncertainty

Abstract

This paper uses the National Longitudinal Survey dataset to examine the role of income uncertainty in explaining the likelihood of financial asset ownership among native-born and immigrant Americans. After controlling for a number of socioeconomic, demographic and behavioral factors, the results suggest that individual investors who face greater income uncertainty are less likely to own financial assets. This relationship holds true for immigrants and native-born Americans. Additionally, the likelihood of financial asset ownership increases with income, risk tolerance, and educational attainment for immigrants as well as for natives. Results also suggest that financial market participation among immigrants increases with the number of years they remain in the United States.