Economics Faculty Directory

Geoffrey Sanzenbacher

Professor of the Practice

Department

Economics

Profile

In addition to his position in the Economics Department, Geoffrey is a Research Fellow at the Center for Retirement Research. He conducts research on the role of cognitive decline in late-life finances, the retirement savings decision, and the shift from defined benefit to defined contribution pensions. He has a special interest in how these issues relate to low-income workers. Before joining Boston College as faculty, he earned a doctorate in economics from Boston College in the fields of labor economics, applied econometrics, and applied microeconomics. He worked for several years after finishing his Ph.D. as an economic consultant at Analysis Group in Boston.

Recent Peer-Reviewed Publications

“Drug Insurance and the Strategic Behavior of Drug Manufacturers: Evergreening and Generic Entry after Medicare Part D,” with Gal Wettstein. 2020. Journal of Health Economics 72: 1-13. 

“What Factors Explain the Decline in Widows’ Poverty?” with Alicia H. Munnell and Alice Zulkarnain. 2020. Demography 57: 1881-1902.

“How do Older Workers Use Nontraditional Work,” with Alicia H. Munnell and Abigail N. Walters. 2020. Journal of Pension Economics and Finance. Forthcoming.

“Rising Inequality in Life Expectancy by Socioeconomic Status,” with Anthony Webb, Candace M. Cosgrove, and Natalia Orlova. Forthcoming. North American Actuarial Journal: Longevity 13.

“Dementia, Help with Financial Management, and Financial Well-Being,” with Anek Belbase and Abigail Walters.” 2020. The Journal of Aging and Social Policy 32(3): 242-259.

“Cognitive Impairment and Social Security’s Representative Payee Program,” with Anek Belbase and Sara Ellen King. 2020. Journal of Social Policy and Aging 32(3): 201-219.

“Why are US Men Retiring Later?” with Alicia H. Munnell, Wenliang Hou, and Yinji Li. 2018. Journal of Pension Economics and Finance. Published online December 2018 (print forthcoming).

“Single Moms and Deadbeat Dads: The Role of Earnings, Marriage Market Conditions, and Preference Heterogeneity,” with Meghan Skira, Shannon Seitz, and Drew Beauchamp. 2018. International Economic Review 59(1): 191-232.

Downloadable Boston College Working Papers

Working Paper 1066. Scott D. Easton (Boston College), Geoffrey T. Sanzenbacher (Boston College), "Adverse Childhood Experiences and Long-term Economic Well-being: Understanding Mechanisms to Explain Group Differences in Net Worth", (03/2024; PDF)

Working Paper 1037. Matthew S. Rutledge (Boston College), Geoffrey Sanzenbacher (Boston College), Fancis M. Vitagliano (Center for Retirement Research at Boston College) , "How does Student Debt affect Early-Career Retirement Saving?" (07/2021; PDF)

Working Paper 1023. Laura D. Quinby (Center for Retirement Research at Boston College), Geoffrey Sanzenbacher (Boston College), "Do Public Sector Workers Increase Their Outside Savings in Response to Pension Cuts?" (01/2021; PDF)

Recent CRR Issues in Brief

“Should We Worry About Older Workers in Nontraditional Jobs?” 2020. Issue in Brief 20-17. Chestnut Hill, MA: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.  

 “Social Security is a Great Equalizer,” with Alicia H. Munnell and Wenliang Hou. 2020. Issue in Brief 20-2. Chestnut Hill, MA: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. 

“Medicare Part D’s Effect on Evergreening, Generics, and Drug Prices,” with Gal Wettstein. 2019. Issue in Brief 19-14. Chestnut Hill, MA: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

“Women, Marriage, and the National Retirement Risk Index,” with Alicia H. Munnell and Wenliang Hou. Issue in Brief 19-10. Chestnut Hill, MA: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

“The Implications of Social Security’s Missing Trust Fund,” with Alicia H. Munnell and Wenliang Hou. Issue in Brief 19-9. Chestnut Hill, MA: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

“Do Individuals Save More After they Marry?” with Wenliang Hou. Issue in Brief 19-7. Chestnut Hill, MA: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

“Do Individuals Know When They Should be Saving for a Spouse?” with Wenliang Hou. Issue in Brief 19-5. Chestnut Hill, MA: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.