Original article Microeconomics

IS INCOME INEQUALITY IN BULGARIA UNDERESTIMATED IN SURVEY DATA?

Petar Peshev - University of National and World Economy
Kristina Stefanova - University of National and World Economy, Department of Economics
Ivan Bozhikin - University of National and World Economy, Department of Economics
Radostina Stamenova - University of National and World Economy, Department of Economics
Ivanina Mancheva - University of National and World Economy, Department of Economics
Received: 03 Aug 2022
Revised:
Published:
Downloads: 0
Citations: 0
Issue 3/2022
JEL O15 D63 D31 E25
DOI https://doi.org/10.56497/etj2267303

Abstract

The present study analyses wage income inequality in Bulgaria during the period 2010-2019, using data from the National Revenue Agency (NRA) on the actual incurred income of taxpayers and survey data on wage income from the Household Budget Survey of the National Statistical Institute (NSI). Key indicators of income inequality are derived under both approaches, which are compared and evaluated through descriptive analysis. The NSI survey data permanently underestimates the level of income and inequality in its distribution, as evidenced by the Gini coefficient, the decile and percentile ratios, as well as other indicators based on them.

How to cite this article

Peshev, P. et al. (2022). Is Income Inequality in Bulgaria Underestimated in Survey Data? Economic Thought Journal, 67(3), 301-326. https://doi.org/10.56497/etj2267303 

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Data Sources

Response to Applications for access to public information with ent. № EП-94-П-1152 dated 04.12.2020, ent. № M-94-П-1153 dated 04.12.2020 and ent. № EП-33-00-300 dated 07.12.2020 according to the inventory of the Central Office of the National Revenue Agency.

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