HOLDING ON AND LETTING GO - RESIDENTIAL-MOBILITY DURING WIDOWHOOD

Longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics are used to study residential mobility before and after entry into widowhood. An e vent-history analysis is employed to test the Litwak and Longino propo sal that entrance into widowhood stimulates residential mobility. Wido whood is a triggering mechanism, with the peak of moving occurring in the Ist year of widowhood, preceded by a gradual rise in the probabili ty of a move and followed by a gradual decline in that probability. Ev entually, the majority of widowed persons move, but after 20 years of widowhood 40% are estimated to still be in the home they occupied when they were widowed. Age at widowhood, health, duration of residence, e ducational attainment, excess space, income, race, homeownership, and single family residence affect holding on and letting go. Moving durin g widowhood is made more complex by changes overtime in the way age at widowhood, income, and tenure status influence moving.