Siobhan Reilly

A Sibling Study of Stepchild Well-Being.

Examining 33 indicators of well-being from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we conclude that stepchildren’ s inferior outcomes are not entirely explained by sample selection. Using sibling comparisons to control for unobserved family characteristics, we identify stepparent effects by comparing half-siblings in families in which one child has both parents and the other a parent and stepparent. Most estimated effects retain their sign after differencing across siblings, and a third remain statistically significant. The estimates’ sensitivity to the choice of indicator suggests that studies based on a single measure of child wellbeing may be misleading.

Trade‐offs implicit in child‐support guidelines

Recent U.S. federal legislation required states to establish mandatory judicial guidelines for the setting of child-support awards. An equivalence-based approach is used to compare three formulae (two in use, one proposed) to three theoretical benchmarks, to clarify unavoidable trade-offs in the choice of a guideline. Generally, the formulae in use leave children worse off economically than would the benchmark formulae. Since the economic well-being of children cannot be separated from that of their custodial parent, that which most privileges childrens welfare will usually privilege the custodial parent over the absent parent, and what appears more fair between the two adults may be less favorable to the children. Another possible trade-off is between childrens welfare and work incentives: The guidelines that prescribe larger awards are those with higher implied marginal tax rates. Despite their work disincentive effects, the formulae with higher marginal tax rates are more favorable to childrens economic interests.

Should public assistance be targeted

(1995). Should Public Assistance Be Targeted? Journal of Post Keynesian Economics: Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 3-28.

Multiple-Father Families and Welfare

In the United States, multipartnered fertility (MPF) has become commonplace. This study provides the first nationally representative measures of women’s MPF, across multiple years, using the U.S. Census Bureau’s Surveys of Income and Program Participation. Because welfare rules contain strong incentives for MPF, and because MPF is especially common among welfare recipients, the authors also examine the relationship between welfare and MPF. Focusing on the pre-TANF period 1985 to 1996, when welfare rules were more comparable across states and the absence of time limits made the incentives for MPF larger, the authors find little behavioral response. Among low-income mothers, MPF does not appear to be driven by program design. Because the incentives were relatively large and reached well up the income distribution, the findings amplify those of earlier studies that show little demographic response to antipoverty programs and invite reconsideration of how much these incentives should constrain transfer programs that target children.