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New Four- and Five-Parameter Models for Income Distributions

In: Modeling Income Distributions and Lorenz Curves

Author

Listed:
  • William J. Reed

    (University of Victoria)

  • Fan Wu

    (University of Victoria)

Abstract

Two parametric models for income distributions are introduced. The models fitted to log(income) are the 4-parameter normal-Laplace (NL) and the 5-parameter generalized normal-Laplace (GNL) distributions. The NL model for log(income) is equivalent to the double-Pareto lognormal (dPlN) distribution applied to income itself. Definitions and properties are presented along with methods for maximum likelihood estimation of parameters. Both models along with 4- and 5-parameter beta distributions, are fitted to nine empirical distributions of family income. In all cases the 4-parameter NL distribution fits better than the 5-parameter generalized beta distribution. The 5-parameter GNL distribution provides an even better fit. However fitting of the GNL is numerically slow, since there are no closed-form expressions for its density or cumulative distribution functions. Given that a fairly recent study involving 83 empirical income distributions (including the nine used in this paper) found the 5-parameter beta distribution to be the best fitting, the results would suggest that the NL be seriously considered as a parametric model for income distributions.

Suggested Citation

  • William J. Reed & Fan Wu, 2008. "New Four- and Five-Parameter Models for Income Distributions," Economic Studies in Inequality, Social Exclusion, and Well-Being, in: Duangkamon Chotikapanich (ed.), Modeling Income Distributions and Lorenz Curves, chapter 11, pages 211-223, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:esichp:978-0-387-72796-7_11
    DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-72796-7_11
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Vladimir Hlasny, 2021. "Parametric representation of the top of income distributions: Options, historical evidence, and model selection," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1217-1256, September.
    2. Boccanfuso, Dorothée & Richard, Patrick & Savard, Luc, 2013. "Parametric and nonparametric income distribution estimators in CGE micro-simulation modeling," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 892-899.
    3. Tetsugen HARUYAMA, 2021. "A Schumpeterian Exploration of Gini and Top/Bottom Income Shares," Discussion Papers 2125, Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University.
    4. Johan Fellman, 2021. "Aspects of Pareto distributions," Journal of Statistical and Econometric Methods, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 10(1), pages 1-4.
    5. James B. Mcdonald & Jeff Sorensen & Patrick A. Turley, 2013. "Skewness And Kurtosis Properties Of Income Distribution Models," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 59(2), pages 360-374, June.
    6. Hajargasht, Gholamreza & Griffiths, William E., 2013. "Pareto–lognormal distributions: Inequality, poverty, and estimation from grouped income data," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 593-604.
    7. Gholamreza Hajargasht and William E. Griffiths, 2012. "Pareto-Lognormal Income Distributions:Inequality and Poverty Measures, Estimation and Performance," Department of Economics - Working Papers Series 1149, The University of Melbourne.
    8. Walter, Paul & Weimer, Katja, 2018. "Estimating poverty and inequality indicators using interval censored income data from the German microcensus," Discussion Papers 2018/10, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    9. Toda, Alexis Akira, 2012. "The double power law in income distribution: Explanations and evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 364-381.
    10. Masato Okamoto, 2012. "Evaluation of the goodness of fit of new statistical size distributions with consideration of accurate income inequality estimation," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 32(4), pages 2969-2982.
    11. Callealta Barroso, Francisco Javier & García-Pérez, Carmelo & Prieto-Alaiz, Mercedes, 2020. "Modelling income distribution using the log Student’s t distribution: New evidence for European Union countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 512-522.
    12. Masato Okamoto, 2013. "Extension of the κ-generalized distribution: new four-parameter models for the size distribution of income and consumption," LIS Working papers 600, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    13. Masato Okamoto, 2014. "A flexible descriptive model for the size distribution of incomes," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 34(3), pages 1600-1610.

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