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Do the rich save more? Evidence from linked survey and administrative data

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Listed:
  • Antoine Bozio

    (PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, IPP - Institut des politiques publiques)

  • Carl Emmerson

    (IFS - Laboratory of the Institute for Fiscal Studies - Institute for Fiscal Studies)

  • Cormac O’dea

    (IFS - Laboratory of the Institute for Fiscal Studies - Institute for Fiscal Studies)

  • Gemma Tetlow

    (Financial times)

Abstract
The nature of the relationship between lifetime income and saving rates is a longstanding empirical question and one that has been surprisingly difficult to answer. We use a new data set containing both individual survey data on wealth holdings and administrative data on earnings histories to examine this question. We find, for a sample of English households, evidence of a positive relationship between the rate of private wealth accumulation and levels of lifetime earnings. Even when state pension wealth is included, the top quintile of lifetime earnings have significantly higher wealth to lifetime earnings ratios than the other quintiles. Under this broad measure of wealth, those in the middle of the distribution of lifetime earnings accumulate the least wealth relative to their earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • Antoine Bozio & Carl Emmerson & Cormac O’dea & Gemma Tetlow, 2017. "Do the rich save more? Evidence from linked survey and administrative data," Institut des Politiques Publiques hal-01784357, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:ipppap:hal-01784357
    DOI: 10.1093/oep/gpx024
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://pjse.hal.science/hal-01784357
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    Cited by:

    1. Arun Advani & George Bangham & Jack Leslie, 2021. "The UK's wealth distribution and characteristics of high‐wealth households," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(3-4), pages 397-430, September.
    2. Bee Boileau & David Sturrock, 2023. "Who gives and receives substantial financial transfers in Britain?," IFS Working Papers W23/08, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    3. Bertrand Garbinti & Jonathan Goupille-Lebret & Thomas Piketty, 2021. "Accounting for Wealth-Inequality Dynamics: Methods, Estimates, and Simulations for France," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 19(1), pages 620-663.
    4. Bertrand Garbinti & Jonathan Goupille-Lebret & Thomas Piketty, 2016. "Accounting for Wealth Inequality Dynamics: Methods, Estimates and Simulations for France (1800-2014)," World Inequality Lab Working Papers halshs-02794339, HAL.
    5. Simon Fan & Yu Pang & Pierre Pestieau, 2022. "Investment in children, social security, and intragenerational risk sharing," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(2), pages 286-315, April.
    6. repec:dpr:wpaper:1241 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Mika Akesaka & Ryo Mikami & Yoshiyasu Ono, 2024. "Insatiable Wealth Preference: Evidence from Japanese Household Survey," ISER Discussion Paper 1241rr, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University, revised Oct 2024.
    8. repec:hal:pseptp:halshs-03231244 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Rowena Crawford & Cormac O'Dea, 2020. "Household portfolios and financial preparedness for retirement," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 11(2), pages 637-670, May.
    10. Sarah Perret, 2021. "Why were most wealth taxes abandoned and is this time different?," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(3-4), pages 539-563, September.
    11. Julio López Laborda & Carmen Marín González & Jorge Onrubia, 2019. "Observatorio sobre el reparto de los impuestos y las prestaciones monetarias entre los hogares españoles. Cuarto informe: 2016 y 2017," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2019-36, FEDEA.
    12. repec:dpr:wpaper:1241r is not listed on IDEAS
    13. repec:hal:journl:halshs-03231244 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Bertrand Garbinti & Jonathan Goupille-Lebret & Thomas Piketty, 2021. "Accounting for Wealth-Inequality Dynamics: Methods, Estimates, and Simulations for France," Post-Print hal-03474044, HAL.

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    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access

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