Scott Weisbenner

William G. Karnes Professor in Mergers and Acquisitions

Biography

Scott Weisbenner is the William G. Karnes Professor in Mergers and Acquisitions. He began his career at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2000, serving as assistant professor of finance for seven years and as associate professor of finance for four years before becoming a full professor in 2011. Weisbenner’s research focuses on household portfolio decisions and the financial and operational decisions made by corporate executives and other institutional managers. He has received numerous teaching awards, including being selected to the List of Teachers Rated as Excellent at the University of Illinois every year since 2002 and being named the best professor in the MBA, Executive MBA, and MSF programs. His MOOCs on Coursera have received the highest user ratings of a MOOC offered by Gies College of Business. Weisbenner earned a BA in economics and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995 and a PhD in economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999.

Contact

4031 Business Instructional Facility

515 Gregory Dr

Champaign, IL 61820

217-333-0872

weisbenn@illinois.edu

Listings

Educational Background

Ph.D., Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999
B.A., Economics and Mathematics, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1995

Positions Held

William G. Karnes Professor in Mergers and Aquisitions, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2016 to present
Professor of Finance, University of Illinois, 2011-2016
Visiting Professor of Finance, Nanyang Technological University, 2010
Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), 2009 to present
A.J. Pasant Professor of Finance, Michigan State University, 2009
Visiting Professor of Finance, City University of Hong Kong, 2009
Visiting Professor of Finance, Massey University, 2009
Associate Professor of Finance, University of Illinois, 2007-2011
Faculty Research Fellow, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), 2002-2009
Assistant Professor of Finance, University of Illinois, 2000-2007
Economist, Federal Reserve Board of Governors, 1999-2000

Recent Publications

Dimmock, S., Huang, J., & Weisbenner, S. (2022). Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your High-Skilled Labor: H-1B Lottery Outcomes and Entrepreneurial Success. Management Science, 68 (9), 6355-7064. link >
Dimmock, S., Gerken, W., Ivkovich, Z., & Weisbenner, S. (2018). Capital Gains Lock-In and Governance Choices. Journal of Financial Economics, 127 (1), 113-135.

Other Publications

Articles

Brown, J., Farrell, A., & Weisbenner, S. (2016). Decision-Making Approaches and the Propensity to Default: Evidence and Implications. Journal of Financial Economics, 121 (3), 477-495.
Brown, J., Ivkovich, Z., & Weisbenner, S. (2015). Empirical Determinants of Intertemporal Choice. Journal of Financial Economics, 116 (3), 473-486.
Brown, J., & Weisbenner, S. (2014). Why Do Individuals Choose Defined Contribution Plans? Evidence from Participants in a Large Public Plan. Journal of Public Economics, 116 35-46.
Brown, J., & Weisbenner, S. (2014). Defined Contribution Plans as a Foundation for Retirement Security. The Journal of Retirement, 1 (4), 22-45.
Brown, J., Dimmock, S., Kang, J., & Weisbenner, S. (2014). How University Endowments Respond to Financial Market Shocks: Evidence and Implications. American Economic Review, 104 (3), 931-962.
Brown, J., & Weisbenner, S. (2013). The Distributional Effects of the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision. Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, 12 (4), 415-434.
Almeida, H., Campello, M., Laranjeira, B., & Weisbenner, S. (2012). Corporate Debt Maturity and the Real Effects of the 2007 Credit Crisis. Critical Finance Review, 1 (1), 3-58.
Becker, B., Ivkovich, Z., & Weisbenner, S. (2011). Local Dividend Clienteles. Journal of Finance, 66 (2), 655-684.
Brown, J., Coile, C., & Weisbenner, S. (2010). The Effect of Inheritance Receipt on Retirement Decisions. Review of Economics and Statistics, 92 (2), 425-434.
Ivkovich, Z., & Weisbenner, S. (2009). Individual Investor Mutual-Fund Flows. Journal of Financial Economics, 92 (2), 223-237.
Ivkovich, Z., Sialm, C., & Weisbenner, S. (2008). Portfolio Concentration and the Performance of Individual Investors. Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 43 (3), 613-656.
Brown, J., Ivkovich, Z., Smith, P., & Weisbenner, S. (2008). Neighbors Matter: Causal Community Effects and Stock Market Participation. Journal of Finance, 63 (3), 1509-1531.
Brown, J., Liang, N., & Weisbenner, S. (2007). Individual Account Investment Options and Portfolio Choice: Behaviorial Lessons from 401 (k) Plans. Journal of Public Economics, 91 (10), 1992-2013.
Brown, J., Liang, N., & Weisbenner, S. (2007). Executive Financial Incentives and Payout Policy: Evidence from the 2003 Dividend Tax Cut. Journal of Finance, 62 (4), 1935-1965.
Ivkovich, Z., & Weisbenner, S. (2007). Information Diffusion Effects in Individual Investors' Common Stock Purchases: Covet Thy Neighbors' Investment Choices. Review of Financial Studies, 20 1327-1357.
Brown, J., Liang, N., & Weisbenner, S. (2006). 401(k) Matching Contributions in Company Stock: Costs and Benefits for Firms and Workers. Journal of Public Economics, 90 1315-1346.
Ivkovich, Z., & Weisbenner, S. (2005). Local Does as Local Is: Information Content of the Geography of Individual Investors' Common Stock Investments. Journal of Finance, 60 (1), 267-306.
Ivkovich, Z., Poterba, J., & Weisbenner, S. (2005). Tax-Motivated Trading by Individual Investors. American Economic Review, 95 (5), 1605-1630.
Weisbenner, S., & Poterba, J. (2003). Inter-Asset Differences in Effective Estate Tax Burdens. American Economic Review, 93 (2), 360-365.
Weisbenner, S. (2002). Do Pension Plans with Participant Investment Choice Teach Households to Hold More Equity? Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, 1 (3), 223-248.
Weisbenner, S., & Poterba, J. (2001). Capital Gains Tax Rules, Tax-Loss Trading, and Turn-of-the Year Returns. Journal of Finance, 56 (1), 353-368.

Book Chapters

Brown, J., Dimmock, S., & Weisbenner, S., Jeffrey R. Brown and Caroline M. Hoxby (Ed.) (2015). The Supply and Demand for Charitable Donations to Higher Education How the Financial Crisis and Great Recession Affected Higher Education ( pp. 151-174). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Brown, J., & Weisbenner, S., Jeffrey R. Brown, Jeffrey Liebman, and David Wise (Ed.) (2009). Who Chooses Defined Contribution Plans? Social Security Policy in a Changing Environment ( pp. 131-161). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Brown, J., & Weisbenner, S., David A. Wise (Ed.) (2004). Intergenerational Transfers and Savings Behavior. Perspectives on the Economics of Aging ( pp. 181-201). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Weisbenner, S., & Poterba, J., William G. Gale, James R. Hines, and Joel Slemrod (Ed.) (2001). The Distributional Burden of Taxing Estates and Unrealized Capital Gains at Death. Rethinking Estate and Gift Taxation ( pp. 422-449). Brookings Institution.

Presentations

Weisbenner, S. (2016). Conference presentation. Annual Conference on Corporate Finance - Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis.
Weisbenner, S. (2016). Invited talk. Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF) Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2015). Invited talk. UC-Irvine Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2013). Finance Down Under Conference: Building on the Best from the Cellars of Finance. Duisenberg Shool of Finance - Tinbergen Institute, Oregon, Toronto.
Weisbenner, S. (2012). Conference Presentation. WFA Meetings, Western Finance Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2012). Invited talk. DePaul University / Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2012). Invited talk. Drexel University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2012). Invited talk. University of Miami Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2012). Invited talk. West Virginia University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2012). Invited talk. 1st Luxembourg Asset Management Summit.
Weisbenner, S. (2012). Presentation. Australasian Finance and Banking Conference.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Conference presentation. EFA Meetings, European Finance Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Conference presentation. Korea America Finance Association Meetings.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Invited talk. Korea University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Invited talk. Maastricht University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Invited talk. Aalto University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Invited talk. Hebrew University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Invited talk. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Invited talk. Tel Aviv University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2011). Presentation. MSU Federal Credit Union Conference, Michigan State University.
Weisbenner, S. (2010). Invited talk. Chinese University of Hong Kong Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2010). Invited talk. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2010). Invited talk. Nanyang Technological University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2010). Invited talk. Singapore Management University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2010). Invited talk. Stockholm School of Economics Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2010). Invited talk. University of Hong Kong Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2009). Invited talk. City University of Hong Kong Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2009). Invited talk. City University of Hong Kong Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2009). Invited talk. Florida State University Beach Conference.
Weisbenner, S. (2009). Invited talk. Massey University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2009). Invited talk. University of Hong Kong Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2009). Invited talk. Victoria University of Wellington Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2009). Presentation. International Conference on Corporate Finance.
Weisbenner, S. (2008). Invited talk. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2008). Invited talk. Nanyang Technological University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2008). Invited talk. Singapore Management University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2008). Invited talk. University of Texas Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2008). Presentation. Chicago Quantitative Alliance Conference.
Weisbenner, S. (2008). Presentation. FIRS 3rd Biannual Conference, Financial Intermediation Research Society.
Weisbenner, S. (2007). Conference presentation. AEA Meetings, American Economic Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2007). Invited talk. Imperial College Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2007). Invited talk. Michigan State University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2007). Invited talk. University of Notre Dame Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2007). Presentation. Wharton Household Portfolio Choice and Financial Decision-Making Annual Conference, University of Pennsylvania.
Weisbenner, S. (2007). Presentation. China International Conference in Finance.
Weisbenner, S. (2006). Conference presentation. AFA Meetings, American Finance Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2006). Invited talk. Trans-Atlantic Public Economics Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (2006). Presentation. Annual Conference of the Social Security Retirement Research Consortium.
Weisbenner, S. (2006). Presentation. Caesarea Center 3rd Annual Conference, IDC Herzliya.
Weisbenner, S. (2005). Tax-Motivated Trading by Individual Investors. Wharton School.
Weisbenner, S. (2005). 401(k) Matching Contributions in Company Stock--Costs and Benefits for Firms and Workers. American Economic Association Meetings.
Weisbenner, S. (2005). Conference presentation. People & Money: The Human Factor in Financial Decision-Making Annual Conference, DePaul University.
Weisbenner, S. (2005). Conference presentation. Wharton Household Portfolio Choice and Financial Decision-Making Annual Conference, University of Pennsylvania.
Weisbenner, S. (2005). Conference presentation. AEA Meetings, American Economic Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2005). Neighbors Matter: The Geography of Stock Market Participation. DePaul University/Chicago Fed.
Brown, J., Ivkovich, Z., Smith, P., & Weisbenner, S. (2004). The Geography of Stock Market Participation: The Influence of Communities and Local Firms. Western Finance Association Annual Meetings, 2011.
Ivkovich, Z., Poterba, J., & Weisbenner, S. (2004). Tax-Loss Trading by Individual Investors: New Evidence from Brokerage Accounts. American Economic Association Meetings.
Weisbenner, S. (2004). Conference presentation. AEA Meetings, American Economic Association.
Ivkovich, Z., & Weisbenner, S. (2003). Local Does as Local Is: Information Content of the Geography of Individual Investors' Common Stock Investments. Western Finance Association Annual Meetings, 2011.
Weisbenner, S. (2003). Conference presentation. AEA Meetings, American Economic Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2003). Conference presentation. AFA Meetings, American Finance Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2003). Conference presentation. NBER Public Economics Meetings, National Bureau of Economic Research.
Weisbenner, S. (2003). Conference presentation. WFA Meetings, Western Finance Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2003). Inter-Asset Differences in Effective Estate Tax Burdens. American Economic Association Meetings.
Weisbenner, S. (2003). Investor Behavior and Purchase of Company Stock in 401(k) Plans-the Importance of Plan Design. American Finance Association Meetings.
Ivkovich, Z., & Weisbenner, S. (2002). Local Does as Local Is: Information Content of the Geography of Individual Investors' Common Stock Investments. University of Illinois.
Weisbenner, S. (2002). Corporate Share Repurchases in the 1990s: What Role Do Stock Options Play? National Forum on Corporate Finance.
Weisbenner, S. (2002). Conference presentation. AFA Meetings, American Finance Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2002). Corporate Share Repurchases in the 1990s: What Role Do Stock Options Play? American Finance Association Meetings.
Weisbenner, S. (2002). Presentation. National Forum on Corporate Finance, The University of Texas at Austin.
Weisbenner, S. (2001). Is a Bird in Hand Worth More than a Bird in the Bush? Intergenerational Transfers and Savings Behavior. NBER Aging Conference.
Weisbenner, S. (2001). Conference presentation. AEA Meetings, American Economic Association.
Weisbenner, S. (2001). Presentation. NBER Aging Conference, National Bureau of Economic Research.
Weisbenner, S. (2001). Taxing Estate and Unrealized Capital Gains at Death. American Economic Association Meetings.
Weisbenner, S. (2000). Taxing Estates and Unrealized Capital Gains at Death. Brookings/University of Michigan's Office of Tax Policy Research.
Weisbenner, S. (2000). Presentation. Rethinking Estate and Gift Taxation Conference, Brookings / University of Michigan.
Weisbenner, S. (1999). Invited talk. Columbia Business School Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (1999). Invited talk. Federal Reserve Bank of New York Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (1999). Invited talk. Federal Reserve Board Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (1999). Invited talk. Fordham University Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (1999). Invited talk. University of Illinois Seminar.
Weisbenner, S. (1998). Capital Gains Tax Rules, Tax-Loss Trading, and Turn-of-the-Year Returns. American Finance Association Meetings.
Weisbenner, S. (1998). Conference presentation. AFA Meetings, American Finance Association.

Working Papers

Brown, J., Pollet, J., & Weisbenner, S. The In-State Equity Bias of State Pension Plans.
Huang, J., Pollet, J., & Weisbenner, S. The Impact of Seeking Prestige: Corporate Decisions Around the Fortune 100 Threshold.
Weisbenner, S., & Liang, N. Who Benefits from a Bull Market? An Analysis of Employee Stock Option Grants and Stock Prices.
Weisbenner, S. Corporate Share Repurchases in the 1990s: What Role Do Stock Options Play.

Honors and Awards

Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), 2009 to present

Grants

Can Procrastination Explain the Power of Defaults? Evidence from Retirement Plan Decisions, Social Security Administration through the NBER Retirement Research Center, 2013
Pathways to Regret, Social Security Administration through the NBER Retirement Research Center, 2011-2012
The Determinants and Downsides of Default Behavior, Social Security Administration through the NBER Retirement Research Center, 2010-2011
Cash Now or More Cash Later: An Analysis of Retiree Debt Repayment Choices in Croatia, Social Security Administration through the NBER Retirement Research Center, 2009
The Investment Behavior of State Pension Plans, Social Security Administration through the NBER Retirement Research Center, 2008
Portfolio Concentration and the Performance of Individual Investors, BSI Gamma Foundation, 2005
Individual Investors' Mutual Fund Share Selling Decisions, University of Illinois Campus Research Board, 2005
Company Stock in in 401-k Plans-The Influence of Plan Characteristics, University of Illinois Campus Research Board, 2002

Service

Ad Hoc Reviewer, AEJ: Policy, AER, Economic Letters, Finance Research Letters, Financial Management, JHR, JF, JFE, JFI, JFQA, JLE, JPubE, Management Science, NTJ, QJE, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, REStat, RFS, 2000 to present

Research Interests

Weisbenner's research studies household portfolio decisions and the financial and operational decisions made by corporate executives and other institutional managers. It draws on a number of different identification strategies and data sets to provide insights on these issues, often with implications for broader questions in finance and economics. To answer the questions posed by his research, Professor Weisbenner uses variation in the conditions facing households and institutions by geography, changes to tax and other policy parameters, and financial shocks.