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The Impact of Income Inequality on Household Indebtedness in Euro Area Countries

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  • Stefan Jestl

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of income inequality on consumption-related household indebtedness at the household level. Using the first wave of the Eurosystem Household Finance and Consumption Survey data, the analysis sheds light on heterogeneous effects across euro area countries. The results suggest a positive impact of income inequality on consumption-related household indebtedness in a small sample of countries. We further employ a multilevel regression model to also take country’s macroeconomic characteristics into account, such as credit market and welfare state design. In this setting, we find an overall positive impact of income inequality on consumption-related household indebtedness. Disclaimer Funding from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection is gratefully acknowledged.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefan Jestl, 2019. "The Impact of Income Inequality on Household Indebtedness in Euro Area Countries," wiiw Working Papers 173, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    • Handle: RePEc:wii:wpaper:173
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Edmond Berisha & David Gabauer & Rangan Gupta & Chi Keung Marco Lau, 2021. "Time-varying influence of household debt on inequality in United Kingdom," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 1917-1933, October.
    3. Mariya Hake & Philipp Poyntner, 2022. "Keeping Up With the Novaks? Income Distribution as a Determinant of Household Debt in CESEE," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(S1), pages 224-260, April.
    4. Agnieszka Strzelecka & Danuta Zawadzka, 2020. "Why Households Borrow Money? Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Households Debts: A Model Approach," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 2), pages 820-839.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income Inequality; Keeping Up With The Joneses; Household Indebtedness; Euro Area;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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