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When income effects are large: labor supply responses and the value of welfare transfers

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  • Giupponi, Giulia
Abstract
I estimate the long-run income effect of welfare transfers on individual labor supply. Using Italian administrative data on the universe of survivor insurance recipients, I implement a regression discontinuity design around a change in survivor insurance generosity based on the spouse's death date. I find that survivors fully offset the benefit loss with increases in earnings. Labor force participation and program substitution are the main margins of adjustment. I consider potential explanations for the large income effect. Evidence suggests that the value of additional income in the widowhood state is large, driving large participation responses to survivor benefit cuts.

Suggested Citation

  • Giupponi, Giulia, 2019. "When income effects are large: labor supply responses and the value of welfare transfers," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103424, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:103424
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. René Böheim & Michael Topf, 2020. "Unearned income and labor supply: Evidence from survivor pensions in Austria," Economics working papers 2020-27, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    2. Julie Tréguier & Simon Rabaté, 2021. "Survivors Benefits and Conjugal Behavior. Evidence from the Netherlands," EconomiX Working Papers 2021-16, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    3. Liepmann, Hannah & Pignatti, Clemente, 2024. "Welfare effects of unemployment benefits when informality is high," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    4. Andre Luduvice, 2021. "The Macroeconomic Effects of Universal Basic Income Programs," Working Papers 21-21, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    5. Marco Castillo & Mikhail Freer, 2023. "A general revealed preference test for quasilinear preferences: theory and experiments," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 26(3), pages 673-696, July.
    6. Julie Tréguier & Simon Rabaté, 2021. "Survivors Benefits and Conjugal Behavior. Evidence from the Netherlands," Institut des Politiques Publiques halshs-03156317, HAL.
    7. Simon Rabaté & Julie Tréguier, 2022. "Labor Supply Effects of Survivor Insurance: Evidence from Restricted Access to Survivor Benefits in the Netherlands," CPB Discussion Paper 437, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    8. Mikhail Freer & Marco Castillo, 2021. "A General Revealed Preference Test for Quasilinear Preferences: Theory and Experiments," Papers 2111.01248, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2022.
    9. Li, Han & Li, Jiangyi & Lu, Yi & Xie, Huihua, 2020. "Housing wealth and labor supply: Evidence from a regression discontinuity design," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    10. Sebastian Becker & Hermann Buslei & Johannes Geyer & Peter Haan, 2021. "Employment Responses to Income Effect: Evidence from Pension Reform," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1941, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    11. Yuval Mazar & Yaniv Reingewertz, 2023. "The effect of child allowances on female labour supply: evidence from Israel," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(359), pages 882-910, July.
    12. Panos Mavrokonstantis & Arthur Seibold, 2022. "Bunching and Adjustment Costs: Evidence from Cypriot Tax Reforms," CESifo Working Paper Series 9773, CESifo.
    13. Julie Tréguier & Simon Rabaté, 2021. "Survivors Benefits and Conjugal Behavior. Evidence from the Netherlands," Working Papers halshs-03156317, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    income effect; labor supply; valuation of welfare transfers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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