Beyond the Wage Premium: Fatherhood and Asset Accumulation

Keywords

father, parenthood, assets, money

Abstract

This study examines the association between becoming a father and men's asset accumulation trajectories. It is the first study to include nonmarried fathers in addition to married fathers. We used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 cohort (the 1979 and 1985–2000 wave) and multilevel modeling techniques to examine the research questions. Findings revealed that the association between fatherhood and men's total asset accumulation depended on marriage. Upon becoming fathers, married men increased their rates of asset accumulation. By way of contrast, unmarried men who became fathers had a decline in their rate of asset accumulation, on average. Race also moderated the association between fatherhood and asset accumulation.

Original Publication Citation

Dew, J. P. & Eggebeen, D. (2010). Beyond the wage premium: Fatherhood and men’s asset accumulation. Research in Human Development, 7, 140–158.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2010-05-28

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/7323

Publisher

Research in Human Development

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

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