Canada Research Chair in Family Financial Experiences and Wealth Inequality
Research axes
Axis 1
Resources available for wealth accumulation
This axis documents the resources available and the challenges that increase expenses over the course of life: inheritances, employment and income trajectories, family trajectories (birth of children, separation, etc.), support provided to relatives (family caregiving, etc.), health status, and legal disputes. It explores the disparities of these conditions according to class, gender, race, ethnicity, and citizenship, and their contributions to wealth inequalities.
Axis 2
Subjective attitudes toward aging and retirement
This axis investigates individuals’ attitudes toward aging and retirement, whether they anticipate these periods and how, particularly in economic terms, in relation to the examples set by their parents or other close relatives. It documents expectations and hopes regarding the resources that will be available and the desirability of their use, including attitudes and knowledge about the generosity of public and employer pensions, expectations regarding support from children, mutual aid with relatives, pooling resources with a spouse or partner, and the centrality of their own wealth. It focuses on distinctions in these subjective attitudes through the lenses of class, gender, race, ethnicity, and citizenship, and their contributions to wealth inequalities.
Axis 3
Subjective attitudes toward wealth transfers
This axis focuses on individuals’ personal expectations regarding wealth transfer, whether they hope to pass on capital to their children (or other individuals/organizations), why, and the measures they take to achieve this. It also documents the legal treatment of inheritances and donations in Quebec, its history, and individuals’ knowledge and attitudes regarding these measures and their relevance. It examines distinctions in attitudes toward the legal/tax treatment of transfers and personal intentions regarding wealth transmission through the lenses of class, gender, race, ethnicity, and citizenship, and their contributions to wealth inequalities.
Axis 4
Available and employed savings and credit strategies
This axis documents the specific savings/investment and credit products used by individuals throughout their lives. It investigates the steps taken to purchase assets, invest, use credit, the advice sought and received, the challenges faced (e.g., proximity to services, issues related to credit scores), and the evaluations of these experiences; whether individuals feel equipped to understand their options, respected and supported by providers, comfortable asking questions, etc. The axis also explores the rates of return on assets and interest on debts, as well as tax optimizations. It examines disparities in financial experiences through the lenses of class, gender, race, ethnicity, and citizenship, and their contributions to wealth inequalities.