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Cohort Differences in Parental Financial Help to Adult Children

Author

Listed:
  • John C. Henretta

    (University of Florida)

  • Matthew F. Voorhis

    (Consumers Union
    University of Florida)

  • Beth J. Soldo

    (University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

In this article, we examine birth cohort differences in parents’ provision of monetary help to adult children with particular focus on the extent to which cohort differences in family structure and the transition to adulthood influence these changes. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study from 1994 to 2010, we compare financial help to children of three respondent cohorts as the parents in these birth cohorts from ages 53–58 to 57–62. We find that transfers to children have increased among more recent cohorts. Two trends—declining family size and children’s delay in marriage—account for part of the increase across cohorts. However, other trends, such as the increase in the number of stepchildren and increasing child’s income level, tend to decrease the observed cohort trend.

Suggested Citation

  • John C. Henretta & Matthew F. Voorhis & Beth J. Soldo, 2018. "Cohort Differences in Parental Financial Help to Adult Children," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(4), pages 1567-1582, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:55:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s13524-018-0687-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-018-0687-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Steele, Fiona & Grundy, Emily, 2021. "Random effects dynamic panel models for unequally-spaced multivariate categorical repeated measures: an application to child-parent exchanges of support," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 106255, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Zorlu, Aslan & van Gent, Wouter, 2020. "Economic Assimilation of the "Third Generation": An Intergenerational Mobility Perspective on Immigration and Integration," IZA Discussion Papers 13855, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Adriana M. Reyes, 2022. "Race and Ethnic Differences in Financial Dependency of Coresident Young Adults During Economic Recessions and Over Time," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 51-65, March.
    4. Kuha, Jouni & Zhang, Siliang & Steele, Fiona, 2023. "Latent variable models for multivariate dyadic data with zero inflation: analysis of intergenerational exchanges of family support," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 116006, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Fiona Steele & Emily Grundy, 2021. "Random effects dynamic panel models for unequally spaced multivariate categorical repeated measures: an application to child–parent exchanges of support," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 70(1), pages 3-23, January.

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