FAMILY-STRUCTURE, PRIVATE TRANSFERS, AND THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN

This study examines the relationship between family structure, private transfers, and the economic well-being of families with children unde r 18. We use family wealth as a measure of economic well-being to miti gate some of the criticisms of traditional measures based on income. W e examine family structure beyond marital status to include remarriage , cohabitation, and the gender of single parenthood. We focus on finan cial transfers from both kin and nonkin. After analyzing the distribut ion of family wealth and transfers by family structure, we estimate th e effects of family structure, transfers, and their interaction on fam ily wealth. Drawing on data from the National Survey of Families and H ouseholds (1987-88), we find that (1) family net wealth and total priv ate transfers vary with family structure along three lines, marriage-r emarriage, marriage cohabitation, and male-female single parenthood; ( 2) marriage is a wealth-enhancing institution; (3) private transfers p romote family net wealth; and (4) marriage reinforces the promoting ef fect of private transfers on family wealth.