Beyond the Wage Premium: Fatherhood and Men’s AssetAccumulation
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Research in Human Development
Volume
7
Publication Date
2010
First Page
140
Last Page
158
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.
Recommended Citation
Dew, J. P. & Eggebeen, D. (2010). Beyond the wage premium: Fatherhood and men’s asset accumulation. Research in Human Development, 7, 140 – 158