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Aspirations, Habit Formation, and Bequest Motive

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Abstract
We analyze how the presence of endogenous preferences affects the altruistic bequest motive from parents to children. We will show that the existence of habits raises the threshold value of the intergenerational discount factor above which altruistic bequests are positive, while aspiration formation could push this value down. Therefore, the dynamic inefficiency of the economy with no altruism is not sufficient to prevent the bequest motive from being operative under aspiration formation. We also discuss the implications of public debt when the bequest motive is inoperative and preferences exhibit habit and aspiration formation.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaime Alonso-Carrera & Jordi Caballé & Xavier Raurich, 2004. "Aspirations, Habit Formation, and Bequest Motive," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 641.04, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC).
    • Handle: RePEc:aub:autbar:641.04
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    Cited by:

    1. Francisco Alvarez-Cuadrado & Jose Maria Casado & Jose Maria Labeaga, 2016. "Envy and Habits: Panel Data Estimates of Interdependent Preferences," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 78(4), pages 443-469, August.
    2. Valente, Simone, 2011. "Habit formation and resource dependence in dynastic economies," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 131-145, May.
    3. Jordi Caballé & Ana I. Moro Egido, 2008. "The Effect of Aspirations, Habits, and Social Security on the Distribution of Wealth," ThE Papers 08/02, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada..
    4. Luciano Fanti & Luca Gori & Cristiana Mammana & Elisabetta Michetti, 2018. "A model of growth with inherited tastes," Decisions in Economics and Finance, Springer;Associazione per la Matematica, vol. 41(2), pages 163-186, November.
    5. Caballé, Jordi & Moro-Egido, Ana I., 2021. "Do aspirations reduce differences in wealth accumulation?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    6. Emmanuelle Augeraud-Veron & Mauro Bambi, 2012. "Does habit formation always increase the agents' desire to smooth consumption?," Discussion Papers 12/12, Department of Economics, University of York.
    7. Schäfer, Andreas & Valente, Simone, 2011. "Habit Formation, Dynastic Altruism, And Population Dynamics," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(3), pages 365-397, June.
    8. Luciano, Fanti & Luca, Gori & Cristiana, Mammana & Elisabetta, Michetti, 2016. "Complex dynamics in an OLG model of growth with inherited tastes," MPRA Paper 69906, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Barnett, Richard C. & Bhattacharya, Joydeep, 2008. "Rejuveniles and growth," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(6), pages 1055-1071, August.
    10. Angelini, Viola, 2009. "Consumption and habit formation when time horizon is finite," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 103(2), pages 113-116, May.
    11. Garance Genicot & Debraj Ray, 2017. "Aspirations and Inequality," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 85, pages 489-519, March.
    12. Carlos Vargas-Silva, 2009. "Crime and Remittance Transfers," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 35(2), pages 232-247.
    13. Alonso-Carrera, Jaime & Caballé, Jordi & Raurich, Xavier, 2008. "Estate taxes, consumption externalities, and altruism," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(7), pages 1751-1764, July.
    14. Jordi Caballé & Ana I. Moro-Egido, 2015. "On the Accumulation of Wealth under Aspirations," Working Papers 826, Barcelona School of Economics.
    15. Jaime Alonso‐Carrera & Stéphane Bouché, 2024. "Intergenerational Transmission of Preferences and the Operativeness of Bequest Motive," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 56(4), pages 899-932, June.
    16. Luca Gori & Mauro Sodini, 2014. "Indeterminacy and nonlinear dynamics in an OLG growth model with endogenous labour supply and inherited tastes," Decisions in Economics and Finance, Springer;Associazione per la Matematica, vol. 37(1), pages 159-179, April.
    17. Luciano Fanti, 2012. "Habits, aspirations and endogenous fertility," Discussion Papers 2012/142, Dipartimento di Economia e Management (DEM), University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
    18. Allen, Jeffrey & Chakraborty, Shankha, 2022. "Inequality and the Ability to Aspire," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 264-283.
    19. Ana I. Moro Egido, 2021. "Social Comparisons; the behavioural component," ThE Papers 21/04, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada..
    20. Marco Bertoni & Luca Corazzini, 2018. "Asymmetric affective forecasting errors and their correlation with subjective well-being," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-22, March.
    21. Allen, Jeffrey & Chakraborty, Shankha, 2018. "Aspirations, health and the cost of inequality," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 144-164.
    22. Kojun Hamada & Tsuyoshi Shinozaki & Mitsuyoshi Yanagihara, 2017. "Aspirations and the transfer paradox in an overlapping generations model," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 122(3), pages 279-301, November.
    23. Bouché, Stéphane & de Miguel, Carlos, 2019. "Endogenous aspirations, growth and the rise of environmental concerns," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(S1).
    24. Bouché, Stéphane & Modesto, Leonor, 2024. "Altruism, Human Capital and Environmental Preservation in a Globalized Economy," IZA Discussion Papers 16825, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Aspirations; Habits; Bequests;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E13 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Neoclassical
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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