The Lifecycle of the 47%

37 Pages Posted: 12 Oct 2016

See all articles by Don Fullerton

Don Fullerton

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Finance; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Nirupama Rao

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: August 17, 2016

Abstract

We assess the concentration and duration of zero tax liabilities and of transfer receipts, using data for households with ten to forty years of observations from the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics. We find that neither is strongly concentrated. Nearly 68% owe no federal tax in at least one year, approximately 78% receive some type of transfer in at least one year, and more than 58% receive transfers other than Social Security in at least one year. Of those who do not owe federal tax in any given year, 18% pay tax the following year, and 39% contribute within five years. Of those who receive transfers other than Social Security within a given year, nearly 44% stop receiving such transfers the next year, and more than 90% stop within ten years.

Keywords: taxation, transfers, social security, EITC, unemployment compensation, AFDC, TANF

JEL Classification: H230, H240

Suggested Citation

Fullerton, Don and Rao, Nirupama, The Lifecycle of the 47% (August 17, 2016). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 6051, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2851358 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2851358

Don Fullerton (Contact Author)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Finance ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

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Nirupama Rao

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business ( email )

Ann Arbor, MI
United States

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