SINGLE MOMS AND DEADBEAT DADS: THE ROLE OF EARNINGS, MARRIAGE MARKET CONDITIONS, AND PREFERENCE HETEROGENEITY

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Beauchamp, Andrew; Sanzenbacher, Geoffrey; Seitz, Shannon; Skira, Meghan M.
• 署名单位: University System of Ohio; Wright State University Dayton; Boston College; Analysis Group Inc.; University System of Georgia; University of Georgia
• 刊物名称: INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0020-6598
• DOI: 10.1111/iere.12267
• 发表日期: 2018
• 页码: 191-232
• 关键词: child-support enforcement; Life-cycle model; racial-differences; UNITED-STATES; white women; decisions; LABOR; childbearing; divorce; fathers

摘要

Why do some men father children outside of marriage without providing support? Why do some women have children outside of marriage when they receive little support from fathers? Why is this behavior more common among Blacks than Whites? We estimate a dynamic equilibrium model of marriage, employment, fertility, and child support decisions. We consider the extent to which low earnings, marriage market conditions, and preference heterogeneity explain nonmarital childbearing, deadbeat fatherhood, and racial differences in these outcomes. We find the Black-White earnings gap and preference heterogeneity explain a substantial portion of racial differences, whereas marriage market conditions are less important.