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Childhood Exposure to Joint Custody Reforms and Adult Family Formation

Author

Listed:
  • Fernández-Kranz, Daniel

    (IE University)

  • Fontenay, Sébastien

    (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)

Abstract

Joint custody reforms are among the most consequential family-law changes for children, yet little is known about their long-term effects. Exploiting staggered adoption across US states and 13 million ACS observations, we show that childhood exposure reduces adult fertility by 7 percent, symmetrically for women and men and operates primarily through lower parenthood and couple formation. Effects are sub-additive within couples, while exposed individuals assortatively match. Our findings point to the formation of family preferences during childhood and align with a US fertility decline increasingly driven by rising childlessness and declining couple formation rather than smaller families among parents.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernández-Kranz, Daniel & Fontenay, Sébastien, 2026. "Childhood Exposure to Joint Custody Reforms and Adult Family Formation," IZA Discussion Papers 18831, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18831
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Abi Adams & Oğuz Bayraktar & Thomas H. Jørgensen & Hamish W. Low & Alessandra Voena, 2025. "Joint Child Custody and Interstate Migration," Working Paper Series WP 2025-25, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
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    6. Lídia Farré & Francis Vella, 2013. "The Intergenerational Transmission of Gender Role Attitudes and its Implications for Female Labour Force Participation," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 80(318), pages 219-247, April.
    7. Lidia Farré & Cristina Felfe & Libertad González Luna & Patrick Schneider, 2022. "Changing gender norms across generations: Evidence from a paternity leave reform," Economics Working Papers 1812, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • K36 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Family and Personal Law

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