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The joint distribution of income and wealth in Uruguay

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  • Graciela Sanroman
  • Guillermo Santos

Abstract

We analyse the joint distribution of income and wealth in Uruguay and compare it to that of Chile, Spain, and the U.S., using data from Surveys of Household Finances. We analyse income and wealth separately and find that wealth is more concentrated and asymmetric than income. We provide a non-parametric estimation of copulas for income and wealth. It reveals that high-income households are among the wealthiest while low-income households are at the bottom of the wealth distribution. When assessing the sources of income and wealth heterogeneity for Uruguay, we found that education strongly influences income, wealth, and joint distribution. ****** Este artículo analiza la distribución conjunta del ingreso-riqueza en Uruguay y la compara con Chile, Espana y Estados Unidos, por medio de encuestas financieras de hogares. Se analizan las distribuciones univariantes de ingreso y riqueza, y se encuentra que la última es más concentrada y asimétrica que la primera. Se estiman cópulas no paramétricas para la distribución conjunta que revelan que los hogares de altos ingresos se encuentran entre los de mayor riqueza y que los de menores ingresos entre los de menor riqueza. Se descubre que, en Uruguay, la educación es la principal fuente de heterogeneidad del ingreso, la riqueza y la distribución conjunta. ****** Este artigo analisa a distribuicao conjunta de renda-riqueza no Uruguai e a compara com Chile, Espanha e Estados Unidos, por meio de pesquisas financeiras domiciliares. As distribuicoes univariadas de renda e riqueza sao analisadas, e a última se mostra mais concentrada e assimétrica do que a primeira. Cópulas nao paramétricas sao estimadas para a distribuicao conjunta que revelam que as famílias de alta renda estao entre aquelas com maior riqueza e que aquelas com renda mais baixa estao entre aquelas com menos riqueza. Descobriu-se que, no Uruguai, a educacao é a principal fonte de heterogeneidade de renda, riqueza e distribuicao conjunta.

Suggested Citation

  • Graciela Sanroman & Guillermo Santos, 2021. "The joint distribution of income and wealth in Uruguay," Revista Cuadernos de Economia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, FCE, CID, vol. 40(83), pages 609-642.
  • Handle: RePEc:col:000093:020181
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    Cited by:

    1. Gandelman, Néstor & Lluberas, Rodrigo, 2022. "Wealth in Latin America," Research Department working papers 1904, CAF Development Bank Of Latinamerica.
    2. Mauricio De Rosa, 2018. "Wealth distribution in Uruguay: capitalizing incomes in the dark," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 18-07, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    3. Mauricio De Rosa, 2022. "Accumulation, inheritance and wealth distribution: first estimates of the untold half," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 22-07, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    4. Katy Bergstrom & William Dodds & Nicholas Lacoste & Juan Rios, 2025. "Estimating the Welfare Cost of Labor Supply Frictions," Working Papers 2503, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    5. Andrés Blanco & Andrés Drenik & Emilio Zaratiegui, 2025. "Nominal Devaluations, Inflation, and Inequality," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(3), pages 270-310, July.
    6. Sehnbruch, Kirsten & Carranza, Rafael & Contreras, Dante, 2020. "Unemployment insurance in Chile: lessons from a high inequality developing country," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 107824, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Ferreira, Francisco H. G. & Brunori, Paolo, 2024. "Inherited inequality, meritocracy, and the purpose of economic growth," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 126263, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Carlos Madeira, 2023. "Adverse selection, loan access and default behavior in the Chilean consumer debt market," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 1-29, December.

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    JEL classification:

    • C4 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics
    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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