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Title: Does investment in marital public goods stabilize contemporary marriages? Evidence from US Census Data

Citation Type: Miscellaneous

Publication Year: 2011

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Abstract: This article investigates how marital investment, in particular home assets affect divorce rates. Variation in property tax rates across counties in different states is used as an instrument for household asset investment. I find that an increase in one percent in home value serving as a proxy for the amount of marital investment would lower divorce rate for 2 percent for white couples in the United States. Such relationship however does not hold for the black population. This suggests that these two different racial groups might have different economic consideration for forming families. The contemporary family model of public good sharing explains for the behavior of white couples.

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Authors: Wong, Ho-Po Crystal

Publisher: University of Washington

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Family and Marriage

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