Mortality and Lifetime Income: Evidence from U.S. Social Security Records

22 Pages Posted: 29 Jan 2007

See all articles by James Duggan

James Duggan

National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI)

John S. Greenlees

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Robert Gillingham

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Date Written: Janurary 2007

Abstract

Studies of the empirical relationship between income and mortality often rely on data aggregated by geographic areas and broad population groups and do not distinguish disabled and nondisabled persons. We investigate the relationship between individual mortality and lifetime income with a large micro data base of current and former retired participants in the U. S. Social Security system. Logit models by gender and race confirm a negative relationship. Differences in age of death between low and high lifetime income are on the order of two to three years. Income-related mortality differences between blacks and whites are largest at low-income levels while gender differences appear to be large and persistent across income levels.

JEL Classification: C40, C67, D31, H20, I38

Suggested Citation

Duggan, Jim and Greenlees, John S. and Gillingham, Robert, Mortality and Lifetime Income: Evidence from U.S. Social Security Records (Janurary 2007). IMF Working Paper No. 07/15, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=959762

Jim Duggan (Contact Author)

National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI)

1776 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 615
Washington, DC 20036-1904
United States

John S. Greenlees

affiliation not provided to SSRN

No Address Available

Robert Gillingham

International Monetary Fund (IMF) ( email )

700 19th Street NW
Washington, DC 20431
United States

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