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Reported MPC and Unobserved Heterogeneity

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We use panel data on reported marginal propensity to consume (MPC) in the 2010 and 2016 Italy’s Survey of Household Income and Wealth. We uncover a strong negative relationship between cash-on-hand and MPC. This relation is attenuated by using regression methods that control for unobserved heterogeneity. The estimates are used to show that the effectiveness of revenue-neutral fiscal policies is much weaker relative to a case in which both observed and unobserved heterogeneity are not taken into account, particularly for policies that target the bottom part of the distribution of household resources.

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  • Tullio Jappelli & Luigi Pistaferri, 2018. "Reported MPC and Unobserved Heterogeneity," CSEF Working Papers 505, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:sef:csefwp:505
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Transitory Income Shocks; Marginal Propensity to Consume; Panel Data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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