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Insurance against Income Shocks, Parental Investments, and Child Development

Author

Listed:
  • Pedro Carneiro

    (Department of Economics, University College London)

  • Kjell Salvanes

    (Department of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics)

  • Emma Tominey

    (Department of Economics, University of York)

Abstract

Faced with income shocks, households may be unable to smooth their consumption, because of limited insurance possibilities. Likewise, it may also be difficult to smooth investments in children. This could have large consequences for their human capital if there are sensitive periods of learning, or if investments are not perfect substitutes over time. In this paper we estimate the impact of transitory and permanent shocks to household income in different periods of childhood on the human capital of their children, using administrative records from Norway. Across outcomes, the impacts of transitory and permanent shocks are largely similar regardless of the age at which they occur, with a few exceptions (small in magnitude). The impact of transitory shocks is larger for college enrolment and obesity if these shocks occur at earlier ages. The impacts of permanent shocks on high school graduation are larger the later in childhood they occur.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedro Carneiro & Kjell Salvanes & Emma Tominey, 2024. "Insurance against Income Shocks, Parental Investments, and Child Development," CEPEO Working Paper Series 24-04, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Jun 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucl:cepeow:24-04
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    child human capital; insurance; income dynamics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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