One of the biggest problems faced in Brazil is income inequality. Over the past few decades, several programs have been adopted in order to reduce the gap between rich and poor. In general, income inequality studies are analyzed considering income at the individual level. However, it is important to understand this dynamic at the couple level and their effects.
The demographic changes that occurred in the country were important and today we have that the proportion of women with a high level of education is higher than that of men. This characteristic is one of the most important preferences when choosing a partner, that is, the decision to marry is not independent of the partner's educational level. In addition, the education level is one of the most important factors when it comes to income inequality.
In several countries, income inequality between couples has been rising while marriage between people with the same level of education has also increased. Brazil showed a downward trend, at least until 2014, different from that of other countries.
Other factors can interfere in income inequality between couples, such as greater insertion of women in the labor market, the salary gap between men and women, among others. In this context, understanding how the family structure can collaborate to reduce or increase these differences is fundamental for the country.
The following projects are examples of research that we have developed: