The Short-Term Mortality Consequences of Income Receipt

42 Pages Posted: 8 Sep 2009 Last revised: 4 May 2023

See all articles by William N. Evans

William N. Evans

University of Notre Dame; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Tim Moore

University of Maryland - Department of Economics

Date Written: September 2009

Abstract

Many studies find that households increase their consumption after the receipt of expected income payments, a result inconsistent with the life-cycle/permanent income hypothesis. Consumption can increase adverse health events, such as traffic accidents, heart attacks and strokes. In this paper, we examine the short-term mortality consequences of income receipt. We find that mortality increases following the arrival of monthly Social Security payments, regular wage payments for military personnel, the 2001 tax rebates, and Alaska Permanent Fund dividend payments. The increase in short-run mortality is large, potentially eliminating some of the protective benefits of additional income.

Suggested Citation

Evans, William N. and Moore, Tim, The Short-Term Mortality Consequences of Income Receipt (September 2009). NBER Working Paper No. w15311, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1469107

William N. Evans (Contact Author)

University of Notre Dame ( email )

913 Flanner Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46530
United States
574-631-7039 (Phone)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Tim Moore

University of Maryland - Department of Economics ( email )

College Park, MD 20742
United States

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