The Top Shares of Older Earners in Canada

Within the 65+ age group, the percentage of labour market income received by the top 1% of earners has increased from about 30% in 1982 to more than 60% in 2002. The trend is smooth, is roughly uniform across provinces and does not appear to have been accelerated by top marginal tax rate reductions in 1988. Hence there is little evidence from this time series that further marginal tax rate reductions would have an important permanent effect on aggregate labour supply for this age group. Moreover, it is unlikely that this period could provide evidence regarding aggregate labour supply effects for this group with respect to reductions in Old Age Security or Guaranteed Income Supplement clawbacks, because the top 1% of earners are above the income range served by these programs.