The Effect of Childlessness on the Economic Status of Elders

Robert D. Plotnick, University of Washington

An increasing proportion of American adults are childless. If childless elders require greater income support, and childlessness continues to increase, financial demands on public programs will expand even faster than the rising dependency ratio alone would imply. The existence and size of any effects of childlessness on elders’ economic well-being have received little attention from researchers or policymakers. This study examines the relationship of childlessness to elders’ economic status, including income, poverty status, retirement assets, and use of Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. It presents descriptive data on differences between childless elders and those with children, and regression models to better establish the net association between childlessness and each outcome. The Health and Retirement Survey provides the data.