## Sweden: Selected Issues

_IMF Staff Country Reports, November 17, 2017_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Sweden: Selected Issues](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2017/11/17/sweden-selected-issues-45415)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2017/11/17/sweden-selected-issues-45415/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2017/11/17/sweden-selected-issues-45415/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/cr/issues/2017/11/17/sweden-selected-issues-45415/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: November 17, 2017
- Series: IMF Staff Country Reports
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484329665.002

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### Summary
- This Selected Issues paper analyzes the high household savings in Sweden.
- Preliminary evidence suggests that the large increase in savings after the financial crisis may reflect the rising cost of elder care.
- Econometric analysis appears to confirm anecdotal explanations that extended life expectancy and a preference for higher-quality residential care have contributed to higher savings.
- Anecdotal reports indicate parental assistance in young people’s home purchases could be behind the increased saving and serves as an additional bequest motive.
- Further analysis using more granular, household level data is needed to test alternative hypotheses for the rise in household savings and to investigate parental assistance as a bequest motive.

### Findings and Analysis
- Large increase in household savings after the financial crisis.
- Preliminary evidence links higher savings to rising cost of elder care.
- Econometric analysis supports explanations involving:
  - Extended life expectancy.
  - Preference for higher-quality residential care.
- Anecdotal evidence points to parental assistance for young homebuyers as an additional driver of saving.

### Data Needs and Research Gaps
- Need for more granular data to test alternative hypotheses for the rise in household savings.
- Household level data would significantly aid investigation of parental assistance and bequest motives.

### Publication and Metadata
- Publication title: Sweden: Selected Issues
- Series: Country Report No. 2017/351
- Issue: 351
- Volume: 2017
- Pages: 35
- Publication date on landing page: November 17, 2017
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484329665.002
- Stock No: 1SWEEA2017009
- ISBN: 9781484329665
- ISSN: 1934-7685
- Subject: Labor, Labor markets, Real wages, Wage bargaining, Wages
- Keywords: Baltics, CR, Europe, Global, household saving, ISCR, Labor markets, precautionary savings theory, rate, Real wages, saving, saving rate, savings behavior, wage, Wage bargaining, wage growth, Wages

*Source: IMF Staff Country Report No. 2017/351, "Sweden: Selected Issues" (November 17, 2017).*

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## Content in this bundle

- **Country Report**
  - [Country Report (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2017/cr17351.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Country Report (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2017/cr17351.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2017/11/17/sweden-selected-issues-45415_