What is More Important for Subjective Longevity Expectations: Perceived Health or Income? / V. Kerry Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, V. Kerry.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w34347.

NBER working paper series no. w34347

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2025.

Summary:

This research considers the role of income for subjective longevity assessments. The analysis uses the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. My findings indicate that treating subjective health and longevity assessments as jointly determined is important to understanding the role of income for both judgments. Income has a positive effect on health judgments and does not have a statistically significant effect on subjective longevity when health is rated as excellent or good. Surveys framing the longevity question in direct or probabilistic terms may have complementary roles in estimating subjective longevity.

Notes:

October 2025.

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