---
title: "University of Cologne Study Reveals Personalized Savings Reminders Affect Retirement Savings Behavior Differently"
url: https://newscentral.site/university-of-cologne-study-reveals-personalized-savings-reminders/
language: en
publisher: "News Central Site"
section: "Science"
published: 2026-11-07T23:30:01.000Z
updated: 2026-11-08T01:41:33.398Z
id: c7099655-e672-433d-aa27-790cd9dbcf2f
source: "Phys.org https://phys.org/news/2026-11-personalized-boost.html"
attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/university-of-cologne-study-reveals-personalized-savings-reminders/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# University of Cologne Study Reveals Personalized Savings Reminders Affect Retirement Savings Behavior Differently

A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Cologne, LMU Munich, and Paderborn University has found that individuals react differently to the same message, depending on their profession and age.

Personalized savings reminders can be a powerful tool in boosting retirement savings, but the approach may vary depending on individual characteristics.

Research has shown that phrasing savings reminders as potential losses or gains can have different effects on people's behavior, with conflicting results emerging so far.

A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Cologne, LMU Munich, and Paderborn University has found that individuals react differently to the same message, depending on their profession and age. Those in jobs requiring information processing tend to be more influenced by loss-focused messages, while older people and those with multiple additional contributions are swayed by gain-oriented reminders.

The study's findings suggest that targeted behavioral interventions can significantly increase private pension savings, providing valuable insights for policymakers and financial advisors.

Researchers from the University of Cologne, LMU Munich, and Paderborn University have published their paper in the journal Scientific Reports, shedding light on the complexities of retirement savings behavior.

The research team conducted two field experiments in collaboration with a European private pension provider, involving around 41,000 customers based mainly in Switzerland. These customers received personalized reminders via an app about the amount they could still save and claim as a tax deduction.

Customers were randomly assigned to receive either a loss or gain-framed reminder. The researchers used this data to test whether customers respond differently to these two types of messages.

Interestingly, both messages had almost identical effects on average, but there were significant underlying differences in response rates. For the quarter of customers who strongly responded to the loss message, an additional contribution rate was 9.4 percentage points higher compared to those receiving the gain message.

Conversely, among the quarter that most strongly reacted to the gain message, the loss message resulted in a lower additional contribution rate by 8.4 percentage points. These findings suggest that customers' responses depend on their individual characteristics.

The researchers used causal machine learning to analyze this data and estimate how well each type of message would work for different individuals. They applied this prediction to the second experiment's results, where every person received the message tailored to their specific response profile.

As a result, if every customer had been sent the right message, the team estimated that 51% more customers would have made an additional contribution, and the average amount saved per person would increase by 18%, rising from 2,062 to 2,442 euros.

The team's findings suggest that a targeted approach to retirement savings reminders can have a significant impact on individual contributions.

By tailoring messages to each customer's specific needs and preferences, the researchers estimated that nearly half of recipients would make additional payments towards their retirement, with the average amount saved increasing by approximately 18%.

This personalized strategy could potentially lead to more effective retirement planning, as customers are presented with reminders that resonate with them on an individual level.

---
Source: [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-personalized-boost.html)  
Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/university-of-cologne-study-reveals-personalized-savings-reminders/