Wealth Inequality: Data and Models

54 Pages Posted: 31 Oct 2005

See all articles by Marco Cagetti

Marco Cagetti

University of Virginia; Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Mariacristina De Nardi

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; University College London, Economics Dpt.; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) - Public Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: August 17, 2005

Abstract

In the United States wealth is highly concentrated and very un-equally distributed: the richest 1% hold one third of the total wealth in the economy. Understanding the determinants of wealth inequality is a challenge for many economic models. We summarize some key facts about the wealth distribution and what economic models have been able to explain so far.

Keywords: inequality, wealth

JEL Classification: E21, E60, H20, H32

Suggested Citation

Cagetti, Marco and Cagetti, Marco and De Nardi, Mariacristina and De Nardi, Mariacristina, Wealth Inequality: Data and Models (August 17, 2005). FRB of Chicago Working Paper No. 2005-10, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=838325 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.838325

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