The Timing of Births: A Marriage Market Analysis

50 Pages Posted: 27 Nov 2001

See all articles by Elizabeth M. Caucutt

Elizabeth M. Caucutt

University of Western Ontario - Department of Economics

Nezih Guner

Charles III University of Madrid; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

John Knowles

University of Pennsylvania - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Date Written: October 2001

Abstract

We argue that one of the key channels linking the labor and marriage markets is the decision of when to become a parent. We develop art equilibrium model of marriage, divorce, and human capital accumulation that allows for differential timing of fertility. We calibrate the model to US panel data and analyze the effects of raising women's wages relative to men's, and increasing the rate of return to experience for women. We find that an increase in the returns to experience for women is causes an increase in fraction of children born to women over age 30, and that raising women wages reduces marriage rates.

Suggested Citation

Caucutt, Elizabeth M. and Guner, Nezih and Knowles, John, The Timing of Births: A Marriage Market Analysis (October 2001). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=291170 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.291170

Elizabeth M. Caucutt

University of Western Ontario - Department of Economics ( email )

London, Ontario N6A 5B8
Canada

Nezih Guner

Charles III University of Madrid ( email )

CL. de Madrid 126
Madrid, Madrid 28903
Spain

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

John Knowles (Contact Author)

University of Pennsylvania - Department of Economics ( email )

Ronald O. Perelman Center for Political Science
133 South 36th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6297
United States
215-898-7701 (Phone)
215-573-2057 (Fax)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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