Title
Smooth Value Functions for a Class of Nonsmooth Utility Maximization Problems
Abstract
In this paper we prove that there exists a smooth classical solution to the HJB equation for a large class of constrained problems with utility functions that are not necessarily differentiable or strictly concave. The value function is smooth if the optimal control satisfies an exponential moment condition or if the value function is continuous on the closure of its domain. The key idea is to work on the dual control problem and the dual HJB equation. We construct a smooth, strictly convex solution to the dual HJB equation and show that its conjugate function is a smooth, strictly concave solution to the primal HJB equation satisfying the terminal and boundary conditions.
Year
DOI
Venue
2011
10.1137/100793396
Siam Journal on Financial Mathematics
Keywords
DocType
Volume
dual control problem.,smooth classical solution,utility function,nonsmooth utility maximization,value function,conjugate function,smooth value functions,nonsmooth utility maximization problems,dual control problem,classical solution to hjb equation,convex solution,smooth value function,hjb equation,primal hjb equation,dual hjb equation,concave solution
Journal
2
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
1
1945-497X
6
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.72
1
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Bao-jun Bian1143.44
Sheng Miao271.74
Harry Zheng3289.30