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Interpreting life-cycle inequality patterns as an efficient allocation: mission impossible?

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  • Alejandro Badel
  • Mark Huggett

Abstract

Data on consumption, earnings, wages and hours dispersion over the life cycle is commonly viewed as incompatible with a Pareto efficient allocation. We show that a model with preference and wage shocks and full insurance produces the rise in consumption, wages and hours dispersion over the life cycle found in U.S. data. The efficient allocation model requires an increasing preference shifter dispersion profile to account for an increasing consumption dispersion profile. We examine U.S. data and find support for the view that the dispersion in preference shifters increases with age.

Suggested Citation

  • Alejandro Badel & Mark Huggett, 2010. "Interpreting life-cycle inequality patterns as an efficient allocation: mission impossible?," Working Papers 2010-046, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedlwp:2010-046
    DOI: 10.20955/wp.2010.046
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    Cited by:

    1. Fatih Guvenen, 2011. "Macroeconomics with hetereogeneity : a practical guide," Economic Quarterly, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, vol. 97(3Q), pages 255-326.
    2. Gang Sun, 2013. "Consumption Inequality and Discount Rate Heterogeneity," Discussion Paper Series, School of Economics and Finance 201318, School of Economics and Finance, University of St Andrews.
    3. Fulford, Scott L., 2015. "The surprisingly low importance of income uncertainty for precaution," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 151-171.
    4. Gang Sun, 2012. "Complete Markets Strikes Back: Revisiting Risk Sharing Tests under Discount Rate Heterogeneity," Discussion Paper Series, School of Economics and Finance 201317, School of Economics and Finance, University of St Andrews, revised 26 Feb 2013.
    5. Laurence Ales & Maziero Pricila, "undated". "Accounting for Private Information," GSIA Working Papers 2010-E58, Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business.
    6. Diasakos, Theodoros M, 2013. "Comparative Statics of Asset Prices: the effect of other assets' risk," SIRE Discussion Papers 2013-94, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    7. repec:fip:fedreq:y:2011:i:3q:p:255-326:n:vol.97no.3 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Sander Heinsalu, 2018. "Dynamic Noisy Signaling," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(2), pages 225-249, May.
    9. Sun, Gang, 2013. "Complete Markets Strikes Back: Revisiting Risk Sharing Tests under Discount Rate Heterogeneity," SIRE Discussion Papers 2013-96, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    10. Sun, Gang, 2013. "Consumption Inequality and Discount Rate Heterogeneity," SIRE Discussion Papers 2013-97, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    11. Carroll, Daniel R. & Young, Eric R., 2011. "The long run effects of changes in tax progressivity," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 1451-1473, September.
    12. Levin, Mark (Левин, Марк) & Matrosova, Ksenia (Матросова, Ксения), 2018. "Development and Research of Economic Behavior of Households in Changing Conditions [Разработка И Исследование Экономического Поведения Домохозяйств В Изменяющихся Условиях]," Working Papers 041825, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
    13. Gang Sun, 2015. "Complete Markets Strikes Back: Is the Reduced-form Measure of Consumption Insurance Reliable?," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 18(4), pages 921-930, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • D52 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Incomplete Markets

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