A new working paper finds that people with more income and more wealth really do give more money away. A summary of the paper in the Economist notes
The researchers found that wealthier people donate less to causes affiliated with religion and more to arts and educational ones. The best-off households directed around 33% of their giving towards religious groups and 11% to the arts, compared with 44% and 5%, respectively, for the poorest ones. Charities dedicated to basic needs and health received about 16% and 8% of donations, regardless of income level.
