When in life is income higher than consumption? Changes in France over 30 years

Abstract

The National Transfer Accounts method is used to quantify economic transfers between ages. During their working years, individuals usually produce more than they consume. The opposite occurs during their youth and retirement, when their consumption is financed by a redistribution of resources between ages. From 1979 to 2011, the period of life when income from work is higher than consumption grew shorter in France. Consumption profiles shifted to the advantage of the elderly, who now consume more in relative terms than younger cohorts.