James D. Rodgers, Ph.D. (1943–2022)

Jim Rodgers was a founding member, a former Vice President, President, and Executive Director of the National Association of Forensic Economics. Jim was also a recipient of the NAFE Past Presidents Award.

Jim was a friend and supporter of the Journal of Forensic Economics. He was a member of the JFE Board of Editors and, along with Bob Male, was one of the original editors of papers that make up the JFE state paper series.

In this issue, to honor Jim's memory, we are reprinting his 2002 paper on

Abstract

Unlike for personal consumption of income, there is no literature for personal consumption of household services. Absent such a literature, some forensic economists use a variety of methods to estimate personal consumption of household services while others make no estimate. Using the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data from 2003-2019, this study estimated the percentage of household services that are self-consumed based on the characteristics of the decedent and the decedent's household. The results show that the personal consumption percentage varies with the household size; number of household adults; age of the youngest child; and the decedent's sex, age, employment status, and (when applicable) the employment status of the decedent's spouse/partner. Generally, the personal consumption percentage is higher for men than women, decreases with the number of household children, increases with the age of the youngest child, is higher for respondents employed full-time compared to other employment statuses, and lower when the respondent's spouse/partner is employed full-time compared to other employment statuses. Note that in making these estimates, fungibility of time presents challenges when accounting for the contributions of various household members in the production of household services. These challenges are likely substantial between adults and minors in a household. To ignore the contribution of household members other than the decedent will underestimate the personal consumption of household services, just as ignoring fungibility issues by including the contributions of all household members will overestimate the personal consumption of household services. Accordingly, this study developed a model for the personal consumption of household services that considers only the contributions of household adults.

Abstract

Various studies estimate personal consumption expenditures from Consumer Expenditure (CEX) data. Early analysis relied on CEX data that was aggregated across expenditure categories and income groupings, while later studies used microdata containing disaggregated expenditures across individual items for each surveyed household. These newer studies allocated expenditures for each item to relevant household members, but analyzed results aggregated across income strata. We extend the microdata analysis by examining personal consumption expenditures at the household level. Our results indicate that at all but the lowest incomes, personal consumption rates generated using microdata-level observations differ only slightly from existing models using income-strata data. Forensic experts accounting for personal consumption may, thus, feel comfortable using either method of analysis.

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of using a model that excludes race and ethnicity on predicted educational attainment and income of a child in a personal injury legal matter. We use the updated ordered probit models with and without race and ethnic variables from Spizman and Kane (2020) and compare the earning capacity losses of a minor child based on each one. We perform this calculation for more than 3,000 combinations of the right-hand side variables for males and females separately, with more than 1,000 combinations each for White, Black, and Hispanic individuals. We find wide variation within each racial and ethnic group, with some subgroups benefiting and others being adversely impacted. The results of our analyses provide guidance to policymakers who might be interested in the real-world outcomes associated with legislation requiring that race and ethnicity not be considered when estimating damages in personal injury cases.

Editors' Note

James D. Rodgers, Ph.D. (1943–2022)

Valuing Losses of Pension Benefits

I. Introduction

Personal Consumption of Household Services

Abstract

Estimating Personal Consumption Rates for Husbands and Wives: A Comparison of Income-Strata and Microdata Models

Abstract

The Impact of Using a Race-Neutral Model to Predict the Educational Attainment and Income of a Child in Personal Injury Litigation

Abstract

Worklife Expectancies Two Plus Years after the Start of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Corrigendum to “Use of Healthy Life Expectancy to Estimate Future Provision of Household and Personal Services” [Journal of Forensic Economics 29(1), 2020, 101-112]

Editors’ Note

Mothers’ Worklives and Marital Status

Editors’ Note

Personal Consumption and Single Persons: An Update

A Closer Look at Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Neutral Models

Selecting An Appropriate Model To Forecast Lost Future Earnings

Broker Liability for Portfolio Losses: Cases From the Crash of '87

The Net Discount Rate in a Model of Long-Run Growth Equilibrium

The Use of Control Charts in Determining the Effect of Personal Injury on Productivity

On The Relationship Between Punitive And Actual Damages For Corporations And The BMW Case: A Note