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The Gender Wealth Gap in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Alyssa Schneebaum

    (Department of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business)

  • Miriam Rehm

    (Vienna Chamber of Labour)

  • Katharina Mader

    (Department of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business)

  • Patricia Klopf

    (Department of Global Business and Trade, Vienna University of Economics and Business)

  • Katarina Hollan

    (Austrian Institute of Economic Research)

Abstract

This paper studies the gender wealth gap using 2010 Household Finance and Consumption Survey data for 15 European countries, and finds that households with only one male adult have more net wealth than households with one female adult, and that households with an adult couple have the highest net wealth. Using OLS regressions to predict net wealth and the inverse hyperbolic sine transformation of net wealth, as well as the nonparametric DiNardo-Fortin-Lemieux re-weighting technique, to study the relationship between household and personal characteristics with net wealth, the paper finds that differences in labor market characteristics between male and female households, most notably lifetime labor force participation and wages, explain much of the gender wealth gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Alyssa Schneebaum & Miriam Rehm & Katharina Mader & Patricia Klopf & Katarina Hollan, 2014. "The Gender Wealth Gap in Europe," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp186, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wiw:wiwwuw:wuwp186
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    Cited by:

    1. Korom, Philipp, 2016. "Inherited advantage: The importance of inheritance for private wealth accumulation in Europe," MPIfG Discussion Paper 16/11, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    2. Sebastian Leitner, 2015. "Drivers of wealth inequality in euro area countries," Working Paper Reihe der AK Wien - Materialien zu Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft 137, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik.
    3. Pirmin Fessler & Peter Lindner & Martin Schürz, 2016. "In focus: Eurosystem Household Finance and Consumption Survey 2014 – first results for Austria (second wave)," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 2, pages 34-95.
    4. Sebastian Leitner, 2018. "Factors driving wealth inequality in European countries," Working Paper Reihe der AK Wien - Materialien zu Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft 177, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Wealth; Wealth Gap; Distribution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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