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Bequest Division: The Roles of Parental Motives and Children’s Gender Composition

Author

Listed:
  • Lekfuangfu, Warn N.

    (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid)

  • Olivera, Javier

    (National Bank of Belgium)

  • Van Kerm, Philippe

    (University of Luxembourg)

Abstract

Drawing on two data sources from across Europe, we show that both bequest motives of parents and children’s gender composition shape unequal divisions of bequests. First, the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe reveals that observed bequests are divided unequally when children differ in sex, caregiving, or income, with bequest motives strongest among mixed-sex children. Second, in a vignette experiment featuring alternative bequest motive scenarios and randomised gender compositions for two fictitious children, hypothetical bequests are most unequally divided under the exchange motive while children’s gender composition matters more under the altruistic motive. Fictitious parents favour daughters regardless of deservingness, granting the highest bequest share to a deserving daughter with a brother. In return, these patterns reinforce traditional gender norms.

Suggested Citation

  • Lekfuangfu, Warn N. & Olivera, Javier & Van Kerm, Philippe, 2025. "Bequest Division: The Roles of Parental Motives and Children’s Gender Composition," IZA Discussion Papers 17833, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17833
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    altruism; deservingness; vignette experiment; gender; intergenerational transfers; bequest; exchange; Europe; HFCS; SHARE;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs

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