Economists often use matched samples, especially when dealing with earnings data where a number of missing observations need to be imputed. In this paper, we demonstrate that the ordinary least squares estimator of the linear regression model using matched samples is inconsistent and has a non-standard convergence rate to its probability limit. If only a few variables are used to impute the missing data, then it is possible to correct for the bias. We propose two semiparametric bias-corrected estimators and explore their asymptotic properties. The estimators have an indirect-inference interpretation, and they attain the parametric convergence rate when the number of matching variables is no greater than four. Monte Carlo simulations confirm that the bias correction works very well in such cases.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)344-358
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Econometrics
Volume203
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Apr 2018

    Scopus subject areas

  • Economics and Econometrics

    Research areas

  • Bias correction, Indirect inference, Linear regression, Matching estimation, Measurement error bias, PROPENSITY SCORE, EARNINGS IMPUTATION, INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLES, BIAS, NEAREST-NEIGHBOR IMPUTATION, EDUCATIONAL-ATTAINMENT, SAMPLE PROPERTIES, DATA SETS, CONSUMPTION, MOMENTS

ID: 36345117