An Analysis of Bequest Motives and Distribution Among Older Adults Chong Shyue Chuan Doctor of Philosophy Facultyof Accountan
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AN ANALYSIS OF BEQUEST MOTIVES AND DISTRIBUTION AMONG OLDER ADULTS CHONG SHYUE CHUAN DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY FACULTYOF ACCOUNTANCY AND MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN JUNE 2015 AN ANALYSIS OF BEQUEST MOTIVES AND DISTRIBUTION AMONG OLDER ADULTS By CHONG SHYUE CHUAN A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Accountancy and Management, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy June 2015 ABSTRACT AN ANALYSIS OF BEQUEST MOTIVES AND DISTRIBUTION AMONG OLDER ADULTS Chong Shyue Chuan The increasing trend of the older population poses unprecedented challenges to the modern society; particularly concerning older adults' bequest motives. Furthermore, low awareness of estate planning among Malaysians and unnecessary issues arise among family members as a result of accidental or unclaimed bequests. It is necessary to study the older adults’ bequest motives and distribution as there are very limited studies done in Malaysia. The main objective of this study is to explore older adults’ bequest motives by identifying the possible bequest clusters with regards to their bequest motives and distribution. The data were collected through administrated structured questionnaires from April to June 2011. Stratified sampling was employed and eligible respondents were compiled by the Department of Statistics Malaysia based on the Census of Malaysia 2010. This research has applied the social support theory and bequest models, as well as has adapted the older adults’ financial satisfaction as a proxy variable to measure their financial status. From the study, it is found that older adults in Malaysia are more conforming to altruism, selfish life-cycle, and social norms and tradition models. It also discovered that financial satisfaction and resource transfers play more roles in determining the bequest motives of older adults. Older adults with stronger financial satisfaction are more likely to receive time resource transfers from their children than financial assistance or vice ii versa. In general, there are three bequest clusters from older adults’ bequest motives; indifferent norms bequest, authoritarian self-centred bequest and domineering philanthropic bequest. In short, the findings in this study enlighten the society that each bequest cluster has its own unique characteristics and bequest motives. The results might be able to help to reduce unclaimed bequests and accidental bequests in the near future. Furthermore, the effect of bequests is significant in an economic sense and it could act as a crucial component in policy prescriptions related to wealth, savings behaviour among older adults, retirement policies, taxation, charity and estate planning as well as promoting the goodwill of leaving inheritances while comprehending the bequest motives and distribution of older adults. Lastly, the findings might bring positive inputs for businesses towards older adults’ bequest behaviour in Malaysia. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) for providing me the opportunity and to offer scholarship to further my studies. I am extremely providential to have met a number of helpful individuals who have made it possible for me to complete my PhD thesis. Here, I would like to express my acknowledgment and gratitude to my sole PhD thesis supervisor, Dr. Lim Chee Seong, who has been most supportive and helpful whenever I needed assistance, valuable advice and guidance. Without his sincere encouragement and support, I might not have an opportunity to achieve my goal as an academician as well as a researcher. Furthermore, I would like to thank late Professor Dr. Tan Poo Chang and Associate Professor Tey Nai Peng of University of Malaya, Malaysia for introducing me to the topic of older population and eventually built my profound interest. My appreciation also goes to Mr. Sia, Mr. Ng, and Dr. Wong from University Tuunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, who has provided me countless meaningful assistance during the stage of data collection. Lastly, I am especially thankful to my dear wife, Chen Peing Wan and our two wonderful children, Zhen Hao and Zhen Yang as well as my dear parents for their sincere encouragement and support. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and I love you all. iv APPROVAL SHEET This thesis entitled “AN ANALYSIS OF BEQUEST MOTIVES AND DISTRIBUTION AMONG OLDER ADULTS” was prepared by CHONG SHYUE CHUAN and submitted as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. Approved by: ___________________________ (Dr. LIM CHEE SEONG) Date: 03 July 2015 Supervisor Department of Economics Faculty of Accountancy and Management Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman v FACULTY OF ACCOUNTANCY AND MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN Date: SUBMISSION OF THESIS It is hereby certified that CHONG SHYUE CHUAN (ID No: 09UKD09152) has completed this thesis entitled “An Analysis of Bequest Motives and Distribution Among Older Adults” under the supervision of Dr. Lim Chee Seong (Supervisor) from Department of Economics, Faculty of Accountancy and Management. I understand that University will upload softcopy of my thesis in pdf format into UTAR Institutional Repository, which may be made accessible to UTAR community and public. Your truly, _______________________ Chong Shyue Chuan vi DECLARATION I CHONG SHYUE CHUAN hereby declare that the dissertation is based on my original work except for quotations and citations which have been duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted for any other degree at UTAR or other institutions. ________________________ (CHONG SHYUE CHUAN) Date: 03 July 2015 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv APPROVAL SHEET v SUBMISSION OF THESIS vi DECLARATION vii TABLE OF CONTENTS viii LIST OF TABLES xii LIST OF FIGURES xvii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xix CHAPTERS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Problem Statement 2 1.3 Terminology 5 1.4 Scope of the Study 8 1.5 Research Aims and Objectives 11 1.6 Research Questions 12 1.7 Research Methodology 13 1.8 Significance of the Study 14 1.9 Organisation of the Study 17 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 19 2.1 Introduction 19 2.2 Financial Satisfaction 19 2.3 Family Support and Social Support 26 2.4 Family Resource Transfers 29 2.4.1 Time Resource Transfers 30 2.4.2 Financial Resource Transfers 33 2.5 Bequest Motives 36 2.5.1. Selfish Life-cycle Model 39 2.5.2 Altruism Model 42 2.5.3 Dynasty Model 44 2.5.4 Social Norms and Tradition 45 2.6 Bequest Motives of Different Regions 47 2.7 Demographic Characteristics and Bequest Motives 50 2.8 Bequest Clusters 54 2.9 Estate Planning 55 2.9.1 Common Tools of Estate Planning 57 2.9.2 Bequest Distribution 58 2.10 Will Setting 59 2.10.1 Distribution Act 1958 62 2.10.2 Faraid Law 64 viii 2.11 Summary 65 3.0 OLDER POPULATION IN MALAYSIA 66 3.1 Introduction 66 3.2 Basic Demographic Characteristics of Malaysia Population 69 3.2.1 Total Population and Population Growth 69 3.2.2 Population Distribution 70 3.2.3 Ethnic Composition 72 3.2.4 Religion 73 3.2.5 Age Group 75 3.2.6 Sex Ratio 76 3.2.7 Mean Age at First Marriage 76 3.2.8 Median Age 77 3.3 Profile of Older Adults in Malaysia 78 3.3.1 Number and Percentage of Older Adults in Malaysia 78 3.3.2 Older Adults by Ethnic Group 80 3.3.3 Older Adults by Age Group 81 3.4 Profile of Older Adults in the State of Selangor, Malaysia 82 3.4.1 Number and Percentage of Older Adults in the State of Selangor by Ethnic Group 82 3.4.2 Number and Percentage of Older Adults in the State of Selangor by Gender 83 3.4.3 Older Adults in the State of Selangor by District 85 3.5 The Role of the Malaysia Government 87 3.6 Summary 101 4.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 102 4.1 Introduction 102 4.2 Research Methodology 103 4.3 Research Design 104 4.4 Development of Research Model and Framework 107 4.5 Hypotheses Development 110 4.6 Research Method: Data Collection 114 4.6.1 The Sample 116 4.6.2 Sampling Techniques 117 4.6.3 Administrated of the Questionnaire 119 4.6.4 Processing 120 4.6.5 The Research Instrument 121 4.6.7 Validity and Reliability 130 4.7 Research Method: Data Analysis 134 4.7.1 Univariate and Bivariate Analysis 135 4.7.2 Principal Component Analysis 136 4.7.3 Confirmatory Factor Analysis 137 4.7.4 Cluster Analysis 139 4.7.5 Two Independent Sample t-Test 140 4.7.6 Chi-square Test 140 4.7.7 Analysis of Variance 141 ix 4.7.8 Regression Analysis 141 4.7.9 Multivariate Analysis of Variance 142 4.8 Summary 142 5.0 ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH FINDINGS 143 5.1 Sample of the Study 143 5.2 Profile of Respondents 145 5.2.1 Demographic Characteristics 145 5.2.2 Marital Status 147 5.2.3 Educational 149 5.2.4 Employment Status 152 5.2.5 Income and Household Expenses 153 5.2.6 Living Quarters 159 5.2.7 Health Status 161 5.2.8 Living Arrangement 163 5.3 Principal Component Analysis and Reliability Analysis 164 5.3.1 Principal Components Analysis 164 5.3.2 Reliability Analysis 183 5.4 Descriptive Statistics 184 5.4.1 Descriptive Statistics for Financial Satisfaction 184 5.4.2 Descriptive Statistics for Resource Transfers 186 5.4.3 Descriptive Statistics for Bequest Motives 196 5.5 Confirmatory Factor Analysis 205 5.6 Cluster Analysis 210 5.6.1 Indifferent Norms Bequest 217 5.6.2 Authoritarian Self-centred Bequest 219 5.6.3 Domineering Philanthropic Bequest 221 5.7 Hypothesis Testing 223 5.7.1 The Effects of Financial Satisfaction 223 5.7.2 The Relationship between Time and Financial Resource Transfers 231