Wealth Inequality: Data and Models

47 Pages Posted: 6 Oct 2006 Last revised: 17 Oct 2022

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

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Date Written: October 2006

Abstract

In the United States wealth is highly concentrated and very unequally 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.

Suggested Citation

Cagetti, Marco and Cagetti, Marco and De Nardi, Mariacristina and De Nardi, Mariacristina, Wealth Inequality: Data and Models (October 2006). NBER Working Paper No. w12550, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=933595

Marco Cagetti

University of Virginia ( email )

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Mariacristina De Nardi (Contact Author)

University College London, Economics Dpt. ( email )

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