Gender inequalities in the distribution of financial resources within couples

Abstract

This article focuses on gender inequalities that occur in Spanish households, particularly those formed by dual-income couples. From the analysis of the Spanish version of the European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) microdata, we establish a typology of households based on the different characteristics of the couples, taking into account occupation, activity status, age, income, and educational level. The analysis is followed by a detailed description of the characteristics of the dual-income couples with an emphasis on the internal differences and inequalities between partners with respect to some of the variables considered. The likelihood that women earn higher incomes than men is estimated through a logistic regression analysis. Finally, the paper puts forward some considerations about economic inequalities present in one-person and single-parent households.