Unlocking the inverted-U: exploring the threshold impact of population  aging on income inequality dynamics

As population aging unfolds at an unprecedented scale worldwide, its impact on income inequality continues to be contentious, with no clear consensus in the literature. Rather than viewing the aging-inequality linkage as solely positive or negative, this paper introduces a modified life cycle with...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Raees Shaik Saffarudin, Chee Hong Law, Koi Nyen Wong, Soo Khoon Goh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University 2025-06-01
Series:Technological and Economic Development of Economy
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Online Access:https://journals.vilniustech.lt/index.php/TEDE/article/view/23762
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author Muhammad Raees Shaik Saffarudin
Chee Hong Law
Koi Nyen Wong
Soo Khoon Goh
author_facet Muhammad Raees Shaik Saffarudin
Chee Hong Law
Koi Nyen Wong
Soo Khoon Goh
author_sort Muhammad Raees Shaik Saffarudin
collection DOAJ
description As population aging unfolds at an unprecedented scale worldwide, its impact on income inequality continues to be contentious, with no clear consensus in the literature. Rather than viewing the aging-inequality linkage as solely positive or negative, this paper introduces a modified life cycle with precautionary behavior, indicating that inequality may initially worsen with aging before stabilizing at later stages. The Dynamic Panel Threshold Kink (DPTK) regression method is used to identify the threshold point of aging intensity at which the inequality begins to moderate following a period of intensification. The findings reveal a threshold aging intensity of 1.4%, which supports an inverted-U characterization of the aging-inequality nexus. The results suggest that liberalizing trade and improving government redistribution can assist countries experiencing a rise in inequality. At the same time, the prevalence of precautionary effects due to population aging may offer a natural defense against the detrimental effects of inequality over time. First published online 05 June 2025
format Article
id doaj-art-1ec4f08e0fe44723b84dd6da6e27f261
institution Kabale University
issn 2029-4913
2029-4921
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
record_format Article
series Technological and Economic Development of Economy
spelling doaj-art-1ec4f08e0fe44723b84dd6da6e27f2612025-08-20T03:26:04ZengVilnius Gediminas Technical UniversityTechnological and Economic Development of Economy2029-49132029-49212025-06-0110.3846/tede.2025.23762Unlocking the inverted-U: exploring the threshold impact of population  aging on income inequality dynamicsMuhammad Raees Shaik Saffarudin0Chee Hong Law1Koi Nyen Wong2Soo Khoon Goh3Department of Business and Finance, Sunway College, Johor Bahru, Johor, MalaysiaSchool of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, MalaysiaSunway Business School, Sunway University, Selangor, MalaysiaCentre for Policy Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia As population aging unfolds at an unprecedented scale worldwide, its impact on income inequality continues to be contentious, with no clear consensus in the literature. Rather than viewing the aging-inequality linkage as solely positive or negative, this paper introduces a modified life cycle with precautionary behavior, indicating that inequality may initially worsen with aging before stabilizing at later stages. The Dynamic Panel Threshold Kink (DPTK) regression method is used to identify the threshold point of aging intensity at which the inequality begins to moderate following a period of intensification. The findings reveal a threshold aging intensity of 1.4%, which supports an inverted-U characterization of the aging-inequality nexus. The results suggest that liberalizing trade and improving government redistribution can assist countries experiencing a rise in inequality. At the same time, the prevalence of precautionary effects due to population aging may offer a natural defense against the detrimental effects of inequality over time. First published online 05 June 2025 https://journals.vilniustech.lt/index.php/TEDE/article/view/23762income inequalitypopulation agingpanel datakink threshold regression
spellingShingle Muhammad Raees Shaik Saffarudin
Chee Hong Law
Koi Nyen Wong
Soo Khoon Goh
Unlocking the inverted-U: exploring the threshold impact of population  aging on income inequality dynamics
Technological and Economic Development of Economy
income inequality
population aging
panel data
kink threshold regression
title Unlocking the inverted-U: exploring the threshold impact of population  aging on income inequality dynamics
title_full Unlocking the inverted-U: exploring the threshold impact of population  aging on income inequality dynamics
title_fullStr Unlocking the inverted-U: exploring the threshold impact of population  aging on income inequality dynamics
title_full_unstemmed Unlocking the inverted-U: exploring the threshold impact of population  aging on income inequality dynamics
title_short Unlocking the inverted-U: exploring the threshold impact of population  aging on income inequality dynamics
title_sort unlocking the inverted u exploring the threshold impact of population aging on income inequality dynamics
topic income inequality
population aging
panel data
kink threshold regression
url https://journals.vilniustech.lt/index.php/TEDE/article/view/23762
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AT koinyenwong unlockingtheinverteduexploringthethresholdimpactofpopulationagingonincomeinequalitydynamics
AT sookhoongoh unlockingtheinverteduexploringthethresholdimpactofpopulationagingonincomeinequalitydynamics