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Equivalence Scales in an Intertemporal Setting with an Application to the Former West Germany

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  • Erwin Charlier

Abstract

Equivalence scales provide answers to questions like how much a household with two children needs to spend compared to a couple to attain the same welfare level. These are important questions for child allowances, social benefits and to assess the cost of children over the life‐cycle for example. We discuss equivalence scales in an intertemporal setting with uncertainty. To estimate equivalence scales we use a panel from German households (GSOEP) containing subjective data on satisfaction with life and satisfaction with income to represent the welfare level. Because satisfaction is measured on a discrete scale we use limited dependent variable models for panel data in estimation. Using satisfaction with life data we find that larger households do not need any additional income to be as satisfied as a couple. Using satisfaction with income, however, yields equivalence scales that increase with household size.

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  • Erwin Charlier, 2002. "Equivalence Scales in an Intertemporal Setting with an Application to the Former West Germany," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 48(1), pages 99-126, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:revinw:v:48:y:2002:i:1:p:99-126
    DOI: 10.1111/1475-4991.00042
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    Cited by:

    1. Masako Oyama, 2006. "Measuring cost of children using equivalence scale on Japanese panel data," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(7), pages 409-415.
    2. Steven F. Koch, 2023. "Basic Needs (in)Security and Subjective Equivalence Scales," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 723-757, October.
    3. Bellemare, C. & Melenberg, B. & van Soest, A.H.O., 2002. "Semi-parametric Models for Satisfaction with Income," Other publications TiSEM a7ab8987-444a-4ab0-b566-c, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    4. Ahlheim, Michael & Schneider, Friedrich, 2013. "Considering household size in contingent valuation studies," MPRA Paper 62898, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Aline Bütikofer & Michael Gerfin, 2017. "The economies of scale of living together and how they are shared: estimates based on a collective household model," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 433-453, June.
    6. Betti Gianni & Karadag Mehmet Ali & Sarica Ozlem & Ucar Baris, 2017. "Regional differences in equivalence scales in Turkey," Экономика региона, CyberLeninka;Федеральное государственное бюджетное учреждение науки «Институт экономики Уральского отделения Российской академии наук», vol. 13(1), pages 63-69.
    7. Mark B. Stewart, 2009. "The Estimation Of Pensioner Equivalence Scales Using Subjective Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 55(4), pages 907-929, December.
    8. R. Bollinger, Christopher & Nicoletti, Cheti & Pudney, Stephen, 2012. "Two can live as cheaply as one… but three’s a crowd," ISER Working Paper Series 2012-10, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    9. Christian Dudel & Notburga Ott & Martin Werding, 2013. "Maintaining One's Living Standard at Old Age - What Does That Mean?: Evidence Using Panel Data from Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 563, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. Melanie Borah, 2020. "Estimating Extended Income Equivalence Scales from Income Satisfaction and Time Use Data," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 687-718, June.
    11. Melanie Borah & Carina Keldenich & Andreas Knabe, 2019. "Reference Income Effects in the Determination of Equivalence Scales Using Income Satisfaction Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 65(4), pages 736-770, December.
    12. Jurgen Faik, 2013. "Cross-sectional and longitudinal equivalence scales for West Germany based on subjective data on life satisfaction," Working Papers 306, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    13. Kseniya Abanokova & Hai‐Anh H. Dang & Michael Lokshin, 2022. "Do Adjustments for Equivalence Scales Affect Poverty Dynamics? Evidence from the Russian Federation during 1994–2017," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(S1), pages 167-192, April.
    14. Christian Dudel & Notburga Ott & Martin Werding, 2016. "Maintaining one’s living standard at old age: What does that mean?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 1261-1279, November.
    15. Charles Bellemare & Bertrand Melenberg & Arthur van Soest van Soest, 2002. "Semi-parametric models for satisfaction with income," CeMMAP working papers 12/02, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    16. Jean-Marc Falter, 2006. "Equivalence Scales and Subjective Data in Switzerland," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 142(II), pages 263-284, June.
    17. Gianni Betti, 2017. "Quantifying the economic cost of children: a note on intertemporal equivalence scales," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 1197-1205, May.
    18. Christopher R. Bollinger & Cheti Nicoletti & Stephen Pudney, 2012. "Two can live as cheaply as one... But three's a crowd," Discussion Papers 12/23, Department of Economics, University of York.
    19. Martin Biewen & Andos Juhasz, 2017. "Direct Estimation of Equivalence Scales and More Evidence on Independence of Base," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 79(5), pages 875-905, October.
    20. Michael Ahlheim & Ulrike Lehr, 2008. "Equity and Aggregation in Environmental Valuation," Diskussionspapiere aus dem Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Hohenheim 295/2008, Department of Economics, University of Hohenheim, Germany.

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