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Quarterly Journal of Economics Vol. 134 No. 2 2019

Household Time Use among Older Couples: Evidence and Implications for Labor Supply Parameters*

Richard Rogerson1; Johanna Wallenius2

1 Princeton University · 2 Stockholm School of Economics

Abstract

Using the Consumption Activities Mail Survey (CAMS) module in the HRS, we document how individual time allocations change when one or more household members transitions from full-time work to not working. We find that the ratio of home production to leisure time is approximately constant for both family members. Using a model of household labor supply to understand the implications of this finding, we conclude that the elasticity of substitution between the leisure of the two members is quite large. This elasticity plays a key role in models of household labor supply and is important for understanding how changes in relative wages and taxes affect household labor supply.

DOI
10.1093/qje/qjy032
Volume
134
Issue
2
Pages
1079-1120
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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