Kelly A. Rathje, MA
Kelly Rathje has a BA (Honours) and an MA, both in economics, from the University of Calgary. She has worked for Economica since 1999. In April 2000, she spoke at a conference in Ontario about the effect of sexual abuse on income. She also created a model for a report dealing with this issue. She was a graduate teaching assistant while pursuing her MA. Prior to this, she worked as a sales representative for a movie distribution company. She enjoys slo-pitch, downhill skiing, surfing and movies.
email: kelly@economica.ca
Kelly’s curriculum vitae (a pdf document)
Expert Witness articles that Kelly has authored or co-authored:
(Reverse chronological order – most recent articles at the top)
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The Discount Rate Revisited (Spring 2008)
- Spring 2008 Expert Witness (13.1)
- This article reports on our latest survey of discount rates. We conclude that no changes to our existing discount rate assumptions are warranted, though a reduction in our long-term rate may be necessary in the future if the observed long-term rates remain significantly lower than our assumed rate.
- Fatal Accident Calculations Under the New Legislation
- Autumn 2007 Expert Witness (12.2)
- In this article Kelly Rathje discusses the treatment of survivor pension benefits in fatal auto accidents, in light of the new rules defined by Alberta’s Insurance Amendment Act.
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Estimating non-discriminatory
lifetime earnings for young females
- Spring 2006 Expert Witness (11.1)
- This article examines the sources of male/female earnings differentials that might arise from differences between the sexes in labour force participation rates, part-time hours, and retirement ages. It concludes that, even in the absence of labour market discrimination, women may earn 25 to 35 percent less than men.
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The Discount Rate Revisited
- Summer 2005 Expert Witness (10.2)
- In this article we review the recent evidence – both statistical and theoretical – concerning the discount rate (or real rate of interest). We review a number of different interest rates for each quarter since 1995 and find that every series has trended downward virtually continuously over the entire period. We then review the theoretical arguments that have been put forward to explain why this trend has been observed; and ask whether it is better to base a forecast of future rates of interest on the rates that are currently being observed or on averages of historical rates. We conclude that it would be inappropriate to rely on historical figures and instead we recommend use of multiple rates, based on the rates currently available for a variety of short- and long-term government bonds.
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Retirement trends in Canada
- Spring 2003 Expert Witness (8.1)
- This article compares retirement ages of Canadians over the five year period 1991-95 to retirement ages of Canadians over the five year period 1996-2000. The findings show that for most educational and industry categories, Canadians are retiring earlier than they did even five years ago.
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Selecting the Discount Rate –
An Update
- Spring 2003 Expert Witness (8.1)
- This article extends the work done by us in issues 5(3) and 6(4) of The Expert Witness, we conclude that it would be appropriate to revise our existing 2½ and 3½ percent two-part forecast of real interest rates. We propose to use a rate of 2¼ percent for the first five years of all calculations. For all subsequent years we propose to use a rate of 3¼ percent.
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Male Versus Female Earnings –
Is the Gender Wage Gap Converging?
- Spring 2002 Expert Witness (7.1)
- In this article Kelly Rathje examines current and projected trends in educational attainment and labour force participation – two factors which influence earnings. Then, she present the results of some recent research regarding the projected gender wage gap. Next, she considers the implications of these results for the estimation of the potential incomes of young females.
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Selecting the Discount Rate –
An Update
- Winter 2001 Expert Witness (6.4)
- In this article the consultants at Economica have combined to review the most recent information concerning the “discount rate;” that is, the rate of interest at which plaintiffs are assumed to invest their award.
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What is Econometrics?
- Winter 2000 Expert Witness (5.4)
- In this article Chris Bruce and Kelly Rathje explain the fundamental principles of "econometrics".
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Evaluation of Harm to a Class of
Individuals
- Winter 2000 Expert Witness (5.4)
- In this article Kelly Rathje explains how the estimates of damages can be improved if the plaintiff is one of a class of individuals who have been affected by the same harm. In such cases, a statistical technique known as econometrics can be employed to compare the earnings capacity of the victims of the harm with the earnings capacity of a randomly selected sample of individuals who have not been so-harmed. This technique can be used, for example, to determine the impact of sexual abuse on a students at an orphanage or residential school.
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Rates of Return to Advanced
Education in Alberta
- Winter 1999 Expert Witness (4.4)
- This article, by Kelly Rathje, is based on the thesis she wrote for her M.A. in economics from the University of Calgary. Her thesis concerns the costs and benefits of post-secondary education. In particular, she views education as an "investment" in oneself. The costs of that investment are tuition, books, and foregone income. The benefits are measured in terms of increased income. On this basis, she can compare the relative "rates of return on investment" for various types and levels of education.