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The Effect of Wealth on Individual and Household Labor Supply: Evidence from Swedish Lotteries

Author

Listed:
  • Cesarini, David

    (New York University)

  • Lindqvist, Erik

    (Stockholm School of Economics)

  • Notowidigdo, Matthew J.

    (Northwestern University)

  • Östling, Robert

    (Institute for Interntional Economic Studies (IIES))

Abstract

We study the effect of wealth on labor supply using the randomized assignment of monetary prizes in a large sample of Swedish lottery players. We find winning a lottery prize modestly reduces labor earnings, with the reduction being immediate, persistent, and similar by age, education, and sex. A calibrated dynamic model of individual labor supply implies an average lifetime marginal propensity to earn out of unearned income of -0.11, and labor-supply elasticities in the lower range of previously reported estimates. The earnings response is stronger for winners than their spouses, which is inconsistent with unitary household labor supply models.

Suggested Citation

  • Cesarini, David & Lindqvist, Erik & Notowidigdo, Matthew J. & Östling, Robert, 2015. "The Effect of Wealth on Individual and Household Labor Supply: Evidence from Swedish Lotteries," Working Paper Series 1094, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:1094
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor supply; household labor supply; income effect; marginal propensity to earn; substitution effect; uncompensated elasticity; compensated elasticity; Frisch elasticity; household bargaining; unitary model of the household; self-employment; taxation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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