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The impact of intergenerational transfers on wealth inequality in Japan and the United States

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  • Yoko Niimi
  • Charles Yuji Horioka

Abstract

Our paper sheds light on the implications of intergenerational transfers for wealth inequality by examining whether or not individuals who receive intergenerational transfers from their parents are more likely to leave bequests to their children than those who do not using microdata for Japan and the United States. The estimation results show that the receipt of intergenerational transfers from parents and/or parents‐in‐law increases the likelihood of individuals leaving bequests to their children in both Japan and the United States, which in turn is likely to contribute to the persistence or widening of wealth disparities. However, such a tendency is found to be stronger among less better‐off households in both countries, and this may help alleviate the disequalising effect of intergenerational transfers on the distribution of wealth, at least to some extent.

Suggested Citation

  • Yoko Niimi & Charles Yuji Horioka, 2018. "The impact of intergenerational transfers on wealth inequality in Japan and the United States," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(8), pages 2042-2066, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:41:y:2018:i:8:p:2042-2066
    DOI: 10.1111/twec.12544
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Mengyuan Zhou, 2022. "Does the Source of Inheritance Matter in Bequest Attitudes? Evidence from Japan," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 867-887, December.
    2. Luigi Ventura & Charles Yuji Horioka, 2020. "The wealth decumulation behavior of the retired elderly in Italy: the importance of bequest motives and precautionary saving," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 575-597, September.
    3. Mengyuan Zhou, 2019. "The Effect of the Source of Inheritance on Bequest Attitudes: Evidence from Japan," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series 2019-018, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    4. Charles Yuji Horioka, 2021. "Is the selfish life-cycle model more applicable in Japan and, if so, why? A literature survey," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 157-187, March.
    5. Ole Hexel & Diego Alburez-Gutierrez & Emilio Zagheni, 2024. "Family structure and bequest inequalities between black and white households in the United States, 1989-2022," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2024-008, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    6. Charles Yuji Horioka, 2020. "Does the Selfish Life-Cycle Model Apply in the Case of Japan?," Discussion Paper Series DP2020-14, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    7. Yoko Mimura, 2021. "Associations Between Financial Transfer from Grandparents and Family Expenditures for Children’s Precollege Education in Japan," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 715-728, December.
    8. Charles Yuji Horioka & Luigi Ventura, 2024. "Do the Retired Elderly in Europe Decumulate Their Wealth? The Importance of Bequest Motives, Precautionary Saving, Public Pensions, and Homeownership," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 70(1), pages 187-212, March.
    9. Charles Yuji Horioka & Luigi Ventura, 2024. "Why Do Europeans Save? Micro-Evidence from the Household Finance and Consumption Survey," NBER Working Papers 32838, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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