Inheritances, Health and Death / Beomsoo Kim, Christopher J. Ruhm.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kim, Beomsoo.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Ruhm, Christopher J.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w15364.

NBER working paper series no. w15364

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2009.

Summary:

We examine how wealth shocks, in the form of inheritances, affect the mortality rates, health status and health behaviors of older adults, using data from eight waves of the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS). Our main finding is that bequests do not have substantial effects on health, although some improvements in quality-of-life are possible. This absence occurs despite increases in out-of-pocket (OOP) spending on health care and in the utilization of medical services, especially discretionary and non-lifesaving types such as dental care. Nor can we find a convincing indication of changes in lifestyles that offset the benefits of increased medical care. Inheritances are associated with higher alcohol consumption, but with no change in smoking or exercise and a possible decrease in obesity.

Notes:

Print version record

September 2009.