Ordinary Least Squares Estimation of the Intrahousehold Distribution of Expenditure

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2022
Volume: 130
Issue: 3
Pages: 681 - 731

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We provide a method to estimate resource shares—the fraction of total household expenditure allocated to each household member—using linear (e.g., ordinary least squares) estimation of Engel curves. The method is a linear reframing of the 2013 nonlinear model of Dunbar, Lewbel, and Pendakur, extended to allow single-parent and other complex households, scale economies in assignable goods, and complementarities between nonassignable goods and supplemented with a linear identification test. We apply the model to data from 12 countries and investigate resource shares, gender gaps, and poverty at the individual level. We reject equal sharing and find large gender gaps in resource shares, and consequently in poverty rates, in some countries.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/717892
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-29