Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/250695 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 15034
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Transfers from parents-either in the form of gifts or inheritances-have received much attention as a source of inequality. This paper uses administrative data for the population of Norway to examine the share of the Total Inflows (defined as the capitalized sum of net labor income, government transfers, and gifts and inheritances received over the period) accounted for by capitalized gifts and inheritances. We find that gifts and inheritances represent a small share of Total Inflows; this is true across the distribution of Total Inflows, as well as at all levels of net wealth. Gifts and inheritances are only an important source of income flows among those who have very wealthy parents. Additionally, gifts and inheritances have very little effect on the distribution of Total Inflows, suggesting that inheritance taxes may do little to mitigate wealth inequality.
Subjects: 
intergenerational transmission
inheritances and gifts
wealth inequality
JEL: 
G51
J01
J1
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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