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Title: Family Structure and the Reproduction of Inequality: Parents Contribution to Childrens College Costs

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2012

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Abstract: This article examines the role of family structure in the financial support parents provide for their childrens college education. Data are from the Health and Retirement Study. We focus on aspects of family structure that affect parental support and estimate shared family variance in investments as well as within-family variation using a multilevel model. Family membership accounts for about 60% of the variance in payment of college costs. Small familysize, living with both biological parents (compared to one biological parent and a stepparent), higher parental education, and having older parents are associated with greater parental expenditures.

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Authors: Henretta, John C.; Wolf, Douglas A.

Periodical (Full): Social science research

Issue: 4

Volume: 41

Pages: 876-887

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Family and Marriage, Fertility and Mortality

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