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Asset Accumulation And Family Size

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  • James Smith
  • Michael Ward

Abstract

Utilizing panel data on families, estimates are made of the effects of children on asset accululation, asset composition, consumption, and family income. Young children are found to depress savings for young families but to increase savings for marriages of duration greater than five years. The principal channel through which children act to reduce savings is the decline in female earnings associated with the child- induced withdrawal of wives from the labor force. Family consumption actually decreases with the birth of a child, but this reduction is insufficient, for young families, to offset the fall in income. For families in which the wife does not work the estimates suggest that savings may actually increase with children.
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Suggested Citation

  • James Smith & Michael Ward, 1980. "Asset Accumulation And Family Size," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 17(3), pages 243-260, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:17:y:1980:i:3:p:243-260
    DOI: 10.2307/2061102
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Milton Friedman, 1957. "Introduction to "A Theory of the Consumption Function"," NBER Chapters, in: A Theory of the Consumption Function, pages 1-6, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Smith, James P, 1979. "The Distribution of Family Earnings," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 87(5), pages 163-192, October.
    3. Michael R. Darby, 1977. "The Consumer Expenditure Function," NBER Chapters, in: Explorations in Economic Research, Volume 4, number 5, pages 645-674, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Jacob Mincer, 1962. "Labor Force Participation of Married Women: A Study of Labor Supply," NBER Chapters, in: Aspects of Labor Economics, pages 63-105, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Welch, Finis, 1979. "Effects of Cohort Size on Earnings: The Baby Boom Babies' Financial Bust," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 87(5), pages 65-97, October.
    6. Milton Friedman, 1957. "A Theory of the Consumption Function," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number frie57-1.
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    Cited by:

    1. Belton, Willie & Uwaifo Oyelere, Ruth, 2008. "The Racial Saving Gap Enigma: Unraveling the Role of Institutions," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 37089, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    2. James Smith, 1989. "Children Among the Poor," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 26(2), pages 235-248, May.
    3. Grinstein-Weiss, Michal & Hun Yeo, Yeong & Zhan, Min & Charles, Pajarita, 2008. "Asset holding and net worth among households with children: Differences by household type," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 62-78, January.
    4. Deborah A. Cobb‐Clark & Vincent A. Hildebrand, 2006. "The Wealth And Asset Holdings Of U.S.‐Born And Foreign‐Born Households: Evidence From Sipp Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 52(1), pages 17-42, March.
    5. Sandra Hofferth, 1984. "Long-term economic consequences for women of delayed childbearing and reduced family size," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 21(2), pages 141-155, May.
    6. Michelle Maroto, 2018. "Saving, Sharing, or Spending? The Wealth Consequences of Raising Children," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(6), pages 2257-2282, December.
    7. Lucie Schmidt & Purvi Sevak, 2006. "Gender, Marriage, And Asset Accumulation In The United States," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(1-2), pages 139-166.
    8. repec:phd:pjdevt:pjd_2005_vol__xxxii_no__2-a is not listed on IDEAS
    9. F. Thomas Juster & Joseph Lupton & James P. Smith & Frank Stafford, 2004. "Savings and Wealth; Then and Now," Labor and Demography 0403027, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Colantone, Italo & Crinò, Rosario & Ogliari, Laura, 2019. "Globalization and mental distress," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 181-207.
    11. Lixing Li & Xiaoyu Wu, 2017. "The Consequences of Having a Son on Family Wealth in Urban China," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 63(2), pages 378-393, June.
    12. Zachary Winkle & Christiaan Monden, 2022. "Family Size and Parental Wealth: The Role of Family Transfers in Europe," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(3), pages 401-428, August.

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