We analyze the flow of money between mutual fund categories, finding strong evidence of seasonality in investor risk aversion. Aggregate investor flow data reveal investor preference for safe mutual funds in autumn and risky funds in spring. During September alone, outflows from equity funds...

Technology today permits all payments to be made electronically. As a result, the economy can easily function without currency and coins. This paper shows the consequences of eliminating these media of exchange. A cost-benefit analysis of elimination of coins and currency shows that all levels...

Over the past 30 years, mutual funds have become the dominant vehicle through which individual investors prepare for retirement via defined contribution plans. Further, money market mutual funds, which hold $2.7 trillion as of September 2013, are now a major part of the cash economy in the U.S....