Overlapping and Independent Influences: Marital and Fertility Histories’ Association With Financial Resources in Mid-to-Later Life

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Working Paper Number: SEHSD WP2023-11/SIPP WP307

Introduction

Family formation and net worth have a bidirectional relationship. Personal net worth influences family formation decisions, such as when adults marry, if they do, or when they transition to parenthood. Those initial decisions around family formation in turn influence net worth in mid-to-later life. Understanding how marriage and childbearing, or lack thereof, are associated with net worth is crucial as the wealth divide grows. Using data from the 2021 Survey of Income and Program Participation, this poster examines the initial family formation and net worth of women and men aged 45 and older. 

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