Skip to main content
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Briefing Book
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Fiscal Facts
Twitter
Facebook
Logo Site
  • Topics
    • Individual Taxes
    • Business Taxes
    • Federal Budget and Economy
    • State and Local Issues
    • Campaigns, Proposals, and Reforms
  • TaxVox Blog
  • Research & Commentary
  • Laws & Proposals
  • Model Estimates
  • Statistics
  • Features
Research report

Wealth, Realized Income, and the Measure of Well-Being

C. Eugene Steuerle
December 8, 2011
Download PDFPrint
Share

Primary tasks

  • Overview(active tab)
  • Full Report
  • Media Mentions

Abstract

Realized income is a widely accepted measure of well-being. This paper examines the relationship between realized income and wealth and economic income, using a national sample of income tax returns matched with estate tax returns to compare the realized property income of individuals with the with the associated amount of wealth that generates that income. The study demonstrates that with respect to those who hold a significant amount of wealth, realized income is an extremely poor measure of well-being. This leads to inequity in tax and welfare programs. Finally, this study illustrates the usefulness of estate-income collation in studying wealth-income relationships.

Research Area

Individual Taxes
To reuse content from the Tax Policy Center, visit copyright.com, search for the publications, choose from a list of licenses, and complete the transaction.

Meet the Experts

  • C. Eugene Steuerle
    Institute Fellow and Richard B. Fisher Chair
Research report

New Evidence on The Effect of The TCJA On the Housing Market

Robert McClelland, Livia Mucciolo, Safia Sayed
March 30, 2022
  • Donate Today
  • Topics
  • TaxVox Blog
  • Research & Commentary
  • Laws & Proposals
  • Model Estimates
  • Statistics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Newsletters
Twitter
Facebook
  • © Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, and individual authors, 2022.