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Nonlinear Income Variance Profile and Consumption Inequality over the Life Cycle

Author

Listed:
  • Naohito Abe

    (Hitotsubashi University)

  • Tomoaki Yamada

    (Hitotsubashi University)

Abstract

In an economy with a seniority wage system, elderly workers are subject to greater income risks when they lose their jobs than young workers are. This paper investigates: (1) whether we can observe the age dependence of idiosyncratic income risks; and (2) the importance of age dependecne for the evolution of inequalities in consumption using Japanese micro data. Our estimation of the income process demonstrates a strong age dependence of income risks; at the age of 48, the variance of permanent income shocks begins to increase, which creates a nonlinear age?variance profile of income. This paper also uses structural estimation of a precautionary savings life cycle model to demonstrate that the nonlinearity in the income process is crucial for understanding the evolution of the consumption inequalities over age.

Suggested Citation

  • Naohito Abe & Tomoaki Yamada, 2006. "Nonlinear Income Variance Profile and Consumption Inequality over the Life Cycle," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 06-E-1, Bank of Japan.
    • Handle: RePEc:boj:bojwps:06-e-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Kosuke Aoki & Alexander Michaelides & Kalin Nikolov, 2016. "Household Portfolios in a Secular Stagnation World: Evidence from Japan," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 16-E-4, Bank of Japan.
    2. Minchung Hsu & Tomoaki Yamada, 2019. "Population Aging, Health Care, and Fiscal Policy Reform: The Challenges for Japan," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 121(2), pages 547-577, April.
    3. Tomoaki Yamada, 2009. "Persistence of income shocks and consumption inequality: A case in Japan," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 29(4), pages 2822-2831.
    4. Aleksandra Kolasa, 2012. "Life Cycle Income and Consumption Patterns in Transition," Working Papers 2012-17, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    5. Naohito Abe & Noriko Inakura & Tomoaki Yamada, 2007. "Consumption, Working Hours, and Wealth Determination in a Life Cycle Model," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 07-E-14, Bank of Japan.
    6. Masakatsu Okubo, 2015. "Earnings Dynamics and Profile Heterogeneity: Estimates from Japanese Panel Data," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 66(1), pages 112-146, March.
    7. Jung, Daesun & Kim, Young Sik, 2020. "Income volatility, household leverage, and consumption in Korea," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    8. Niizeki, Takeshi & Suga, Fumihiko, 2021. "The impact of the rise and collapse of Japan's housing price bubble on households’ lifetime utility," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    9. Abe, Naohito & Yamada, Tomoaki, 2009. "Nonlinear income variance profiles and consumption inequality over the life cycle," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 344-366, September.
    10. Aleksandra Urbaniec, 2012. "Life cycle income and consumption patterns in transition," EcoMod2012 4457, EcoMod.
    11. Yamada, Tomoaki, 2013. "Cross-sectional Facts in Japan using Keio Household Panel Survey," MPRA Paper 49813, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Aleksandra Kolasa, 2017. "Life Cycle Income and Consumption Patterns in Poland," Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, vol. 9(2), pages 137-172, June.
    13. Yamada, Tomoaki, 2012. "Income risk, macroeconomic and demographic change, and economic inequality in Japan," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 63-84.
    14. Yamada, Tomoaki, 2011. "A politically feasible social security reform with a two-tier structure," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 199-224, September.
    15. Masaru INABA & Kengo NUTAHARA & Daichi SHIRAI, 2023. "Sources of Inequality and Business Cycles: Evidence from the US and Japan," CIGS Working Paper Series 23-006E, The Canon Institute for Global Studies.
    16. Tomoaki Yamada & Minchung Hsu & Gary D. Hansen, 2011. "Financing Health Care in Japan: The Impact of an Aging Population," 2011 Meeting Papers 717, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    17. Bessho, Shun-ichiro & Tobita, Eiko, 2008. "Unemployment risk and buffer-stock saving: An empirical investigation in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 303-325, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income risk; buffer stock savings; consumption inequality; method of simulated moments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D52 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Incomplete Markets
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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