We use the Vietnam Living Standard Survey conducted in 1993 and in 1998 to analyze the
determinants of private transfers among rural farmers. Private transfers are widespread and important
relative to pre-transfer income levels of recipients in both years. Conducting parametric
and semiparametric analysis of single-index models for transfer status, we find that private transfers
help smoothing income across the life cycle and across states of nature. Pre-transfer income
is positively related to the net donor status and negatively associated with the net recipients status,
especially for low levels of income. These results suggest that crowding-out of public redistributive
policies targeted to the rural poor might be an issue to take into account in Vietnam.