A Desigualdade de Renda no Brasil Encontra-se Subestimada? Uma Análise Comparativa com Base na PNAD, na POF e nas Contas Nacionais

This paper aims to investigate the magnitude of the underestimation of household income by the Pnad and its potential effects on the measurement of the level and the evolution of Brazilian income inequality. For that, we compare the data from Pnad with the data from the Household Expenditure Survey (POF) and the National Accounting System (NAS). The analysis is made in three steps. First, we evaluate the underestimation degree of total household income by the Pnad. Second, we simulate the impacts of this underestimation on income inequality measurement. Finally, we analyze in what extent household income underestimation affects the estimation of income inequality variation between 2001 and 2003. The results suggest that even though household income underestimation by the Pnad is high, income inequality underestimation is not substantial. Additionally, we find no evidence that household income underestimation by the Pnad implies an overestimation of the income inequality fall in the recent period.