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Trends in Earnings Inequality and Earnings Instability among U.S. Couples: How Important is Assortative Matching?

Author

Listed:
  • Hryshko, Dmytro

    (University of Alberta, Department of Economics)

  • Juhn, Chinhui

    (Department of Economics, University of Houston)

  • McCue, Kristin

    (U.S. Census Bureau)

Abstract

We examine changes in inequality and instability of the combined earnings of married couples over the 1980-2009 period using two U.S. panel data sets: Social Security earnings data matched to Survey of Income and Program Participation panels (SIPP-SSA)and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Relative to male earnings inequality, the inequality of couples' earnings is both lower in levels and rises by a smaller amount. We also find that couples' earnings instability is lower in levels compared to male earnings instability and actually declines in the SIPP-SSA data. While wives' earnings played an important role in dampening the rise in inequality and year-to-year variation in resources at the family level, we find that marital sorting and coordination of labor supply decisions at the family level played a minor role. Comparing actual couples to randomly paired simulated couples, we find very similar trends in earnings inequality and instability.

Suggested Citation

  • Hryshko, Dmytro & Juhn, Chinhui & McCue, Kristin, 2015. "Trends in Earnings Inequality and Earnings Instability among U.S. Couples: How Important is Assortative Matching?," Working Papers 2015-1, University of Alberta, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:albaec:2015_001
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    inequality; instability; matching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General

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