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Wealth Creators or Inheritors? Unpacking the Gender Wealth Gap from Bottom to Top and Young to Old

Author

Listed:
  • Bartels, Charlotte

    (DIW Berlin)

  • Sierminska, Eva

    (Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER))

  • Schröder, Carsten

    (DIW Berlin)

Abstract

There is growing interest in understanding how gender influences the accumulation of wealth. While prior studies focused on labor-related determinants, our research focuses on inheritances and gifts. Using unique survey data that oversamples the top 1% of wealth holders in Germany, we show that the gender wealth gap is small for individuals up to age 40, then widens, and declines for those past retirement age. Transfer amounts and their timing are important drivers of these differences: men tend to inherit larger sums than women during their working life. Women often outlive their male partners, thus receiving larger inheritances at older ages.

Suggested Citation

  • Bartels, Charlotte & Sierminska, Eva & Schröder, Carsten, 2024. "Wealth Creators or Inheritors? Unpacking the Gender Wealth Gap from Bottom to Top and Young to Old," IZA Discussion Papers 17324, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17324
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Karla Cordova & Markus M. Grabka & Eva Sierminska, 2022. "Pension Wealth and the Gender Wealth Gap," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(4), pages 755-810, October.
    2. repec:hal:pseose:halshs-00944868 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Alyssa Schneebaum & Miriam Rehm & Katharina Mader & Katarina Hollan, 2018. "The Gender Wealth Gap Across European Countries," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 64(2), pages 295-331, June.
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    2. Loïa Lamarque & Marion Leturcq, 2025. "United We Give, Divided We Keep: Intra-Couple Wealth Inequality and Inter vivos Gift Transfers," Working Papers 306, French Institute for Demographic Studies.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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