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Earnings Dynamics and Its Intergenerational Transmission: Evidence from Norway

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Abstract
Using administrative data, we provide an extensive characterization of labor earnings dynamics in Norway. Some of our findings are as follows. (i) Norway has not been immune to the increase in top earnings inequality seen in other countries. (ii) The earnings distribution compresses in the bottom 90% over the life cycle but expands in the top 10%. (iii) The earnings growth distribution is left skewed and leptokurtic, and the extent of these nonnormalities varies with age and past income. Linking individuals to their parents, we also investigate the intergenerational transmission of income dynamics. We find that children of high-income, high-wealth fathers enjoy steeper income growth over the life cycle and face more volatile but more positively skewed income changes, suggesting that they are more likely to pursue high-return, high-risk careers. Income growth for children of poorer fathers is more gradual and more left skewed, displaying higher left tail risk. Furthermore, the income dynamics of fathers and children are strongly correlated: children of fathers with steeper life-cycle income growth, more volatile incomes, or higher downside risk also have income streams of similar properties. These findings shed new light on the determinants of intergenerational mobility.

Suggested Citation

  • Elin Halvorsen & Serdar Ozkan & Sergio Salgado, 2021. "Earnings Dynamics and Its Intergenerational Transmission: Evidence from Norway," Working Papers 2021-015, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, revised 07 Jul 2022.
  • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedlwp:93530
    DOI: 10.20955/wp.2021.015
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    Cited by:

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    2. Francis Kramarz & Elio Nimier‐David & Thomas Delemotte, 2022. "Inequality and earnings dynamics in France: National policies and local consequences," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(4), pages 1527-1591, November.
    3. Fatih Guvenen & Rocio Madera & Serdar Ozkan, 2024. "Consumption Dynamics and Welfare Under Non-Gaussian Earnings Risk," Working Papers 2024-007, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, revised 27 Jul 2024.
    4. Richard Audoly & Rory McGee & Sergio Ocampo & Gonzalo Paz-Pardo, 2024. "The life-cycle dynamics of wealth mobility," IFS Working Papers W24/12, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    5. Ricky Kanabar, 2024. "Assortative mating and wealth inequality in Great Britain: evidence from the baby boomer and Gen X cohorts," CEPEO Working Paper Series 24-07, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Nov 2024.
    6. Domenico Depalo & Salvatore Lattanzio, 2023. "The increase in earnings inequality and volatility in Italy: the role and persistence of atypical contracts," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 801, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    7. Søren Leth‐Petersen & Johan Sæverud, 2022. "Inequality and dynamics of earnings and disposable income in Denmark 1987–2016," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(4), pages 1493-1526, November.
    8. Fatih Guvenen & Luigi Pistaferri & Giovanni L. Violante, 2022. "Global trends in income inequality and income dynamics: New insights from GRID," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(4), pages 1321-1360, November.
    9. Javier Cortés Orihuela & Juan D. Díaz & Pablo Gutiérrez Cubillos & Pablo A. Troncoso & Gabriel I. Villarroel, 2024. "Intergenerational earnings mobility in Chile: the tale of the upper tail," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 67(5), pages 2411-2447, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    earnings dynamics; top income inequality; heterogeneity; intergenerational mobility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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