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Family Law Effects on Divorce, Fertility, and Child Investment

Author

Listed:
  • Meta Brown
  • Christopher J. Flinn
  • Joseph Mullins

Abstract

To assess the child welfare impact of policies governing divorced parenting, such as child support orders, child custody assignments, and marital dissolution standards, one must consider their influence not only on the divorce rate but also on spouses’ fertility choices and child investments. We develop a model of fertility, parenting, and divorce, from which we derive estimates of parental preferences and a child cognitive ability production function, using data on parental time allocation, children’s cognitive attainment, and realized fertility and divorce. Family policies that reduce divorce are simulated to have significant negative impacts on both fertility and child development.

Suggested Citation

  • Meta Brown & Christopher J. Flinn & Joseph Mullins, 2025. "Family Law Effects on Divorce, Fertility, and Child Investment," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 43(S1), pages 351-397.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/734568
    DOI: 10.1086/734568
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    Cited by:

    1. Jeanne Lafortune & Corinne Low, 2023. "Collateralized Marriage," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(4), pages 252-291, October.
    2. Hanno Foerster, 2019. "Untying the Knot: How Child Support and Alimony Affect Couples' Decisions and Welfare," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2019_115v2, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    3. Dan Anderberg & Gloria Moroni, 2020. "Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Children’s Dynamic Skill Accumulation: Evidence from a UK Longitudinal Study," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 20-036/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    4. Hanno Foerster, 2019. "The Impact of Post-Marital Maintenance on Dynamic Decisions and Welfare of Couples," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 982, Boston College Department of Economics.
    5. Minsu Chang, 2024. "Changing Marital Transitions and Homeownership Among Young Households," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 52, pages 46-63, April.
    6. Abi Adams & Oguz Bayraktar & Thomas H. Joergensen & Hamish Low & Alessandra Voena, 2025. "Joint Child Custody and Interstate Migration," CEBI working paper series 25-16, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    7. Dan Anderberg & Gloria Moroni, 2020. "Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Children's Dynamic Skill Accumulation: Evidence from a UK Longitudinal Study," CESifo Working Paper Series 8381, CESifo.
    8. Abi Adams & Oğuz Bayraktar & Thomas H. Jørgensen & Hamish Low & Alessandra Voena, 2025. "Joint Child Custody and Interstate Migration," NBER Working Papers 34571, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Gahramanov Emin & Gaibulloev Khusrav & Younas Javed, 2019. "Parental Transfers, Intra-household Bargaining and Fertility Decision," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 19(1), pages 1-17, January.

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