The distribution of MPCs is central in many economic questions but presents puzzling stylized facts. I show that standard consumption models generate a positive relation between people’s permanent component of earnings and their MPC, because the MPC depends on liquid wealth but also on the variance of future earnings. This variance is higher at higher levels of permanent earnings. This relation can explain recent stylized facts. Survey data support a positive effect of permanent earnings on the MPC, of a magnitude comparable to that of wealth. Numerical simulations with realistic earnings risk replicate the survey results and stylized facts.