THE EFFECT OF INCOMES, WAGES, AND AFDC BENEFITS ON MARITAL DISRUPTION

This paper uses a choice-based model to estimate the effects of a broa d set of economic factors, including AFDC benefit levels, husband's ea rnings, and a woman's wage rate, on the probability of marital dissolu tion. We find that the probability of divorce is lower for marriages i n which tire husband's labor income is higher. We also find that while AFDC income has a substantial effect on welfare receipt by a divorced woman, it has a relatively small effect on the probability that a mar ried woman will become divorced. Finally, we find no support for the h ypothesis that rising wages for women have increased marital instabili ty.