In two linked papers I show the importance of fertility to the wealth distribution and how fertility interacts with intergenerational transfer taxation. In a third paper I empirically explore the impact of recession on occupational sorting, using public school teachers as a relatively acyclical comparison occupation.

Wealth inequality has always been part of American life, but not until recently has it risen to a level not seen since the Great Depression. In this dissertation, I present three essays in which the wealth gap issue is investigated in depth from three different perspectives.