Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
7410058 | Research in Social Stratification and Mobility | 2015 | 37 Pages |
Abstract
This article explores the role of personal debt in the transition to parenthood. We analyze data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth-1997 cohort and find that for the generation coming of age in the 2000s, student loans delay fertility for women, particularly at very high levels of debt. Home mortgages and credit card debt, in contrast, appear to be precursors to parenthood. These results indicate that different forms of debt have different implications for early adulthood transitions: whereas consumer loans or home mortgages immediately increase access to consumption goods, there is often a significant delay between the accrual and realization of benefits for student loans. The double-edged nature of debt as both barrier and facilitator to life transitions highlights the importance of looking at debt both as a monetary issue and also as a carrier of social meanings.
Keywords
Related Topics
Social Sciences and Humanities
Economics, Econometrics and Finance
Economics, Econometrics and Finance (General)
Authors
Michael Nau, Rachel E. Dwyer, Randy Hodson,