We consider a general framework to study the evolution of wage and earnings residuals that incorporates features highlighted by two influential but distinct literatures in economics: (i) unobserved skills with changing non-linear pricing functions and (ii) idiosyncratic shocks that follow a rich...

Government student loan programs must balance the need to enforce repayment among borrowers who can afford to make their payments with some form of forgiveness or repayment assistance for those who cannot. Using unique survey and administrative data from the Canada Student Loan Program, we show...

"In many empirical studies, researchers seek to estimate causal relationships using instrumental variables. When only one valid instrumental variable is available, researchers are limited to estimating linear models, even when the true model may be non-linear. In this case, ordinary least...

In many empirical studies, researchers seek to estimate causal relationships using instrumental variables. When only one valid instrumental variable is available, researchers are limited to estimating linear models, even when the true model may be non-linear. In this case, ordinary least squares...

We develop a human capital model with borrowing constraints explicitly derived from government student loan programs and private lending under limited commitment. Two key implications of our analysis are: (i) binding constraints may not depress investment; and (ii) a positive relationship...

This paper discusses the relationship between education and crime from an economic perspective, developing a human capital-based model that sheds light on key ways in which early childhood programs and policies that encourage schooling may affect both juvenile and adult crime. The paper first...