Life Events and Portfolio Rebalancing of the Family Home

Abstract

This article investigates the impacts of financial shocks on the role of the family home in asset portfolios of Australian households using longitudinal data from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. The life events considered are serious illness or injury, death of a spouse, fired or made redundant, and separation from a spouse. We use a static and dynamic Tobit models to assess the impact and duration of the life events on the portfolio share of the family home. The insights gained from this study may be important for financial planners, as adverse wealth outcomes may be hedged through better financial education, insurance products, or general financial preparedness.