
Figure 1
Year of Birth of Three Age Groups of Mothers
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Mom group 1 are mothers who are age 62 and less, mom group 2 are mothers who are 62-70, and mom group 3 are mothers who are 70 and older. Mothers can transition between groups.
Table 1
Summary of Mothers, by Age
| All N=38004 | Moms Age < 62 N=23885 | Moms Age 62-70 N=7972 | Moms Age >70 N=6147 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 59.6 | 50.1 | 65.7 | 78.6 |
| White | 0.772 | 0.762 | 0.851 | 0.804 |
| Black | 0.127 | 0.133 | 0.073 | 0.136 |
| High School or Less | 0.575 | 0.545 | 0.736 | 0.834 |
| Some College or More | 0.423 | 0.453 | 0.256 | 0.166 |
| Married | 0.594 | 0.659 | 0.651 | 0.383 |
| Divorced/Sep. | 0.201 | 0.240 | 0.197 | 0.105 |
| Never Married | 0.040 | 0.062 | 0.012 | 0.007 |
| Widow | 0.165 | 0.039 | 0.139 | 0.506 |
| Disabled | 0.044 | 0.055 | 0.031 | 0.028 |
| Housewife | 0.136 | 0.121 | 0.142 | 0.172 |
| Working | 0.492 | 0.703 | 0.336 | 0.082 |
| Sent Transfer to Kid | 0.070 | 0.085 | 0.068 | 0.035 |
| Size of Transfer to Kid | $329 | $373 | $344 | $206 |
| Received Transfer | 0.059 | 0.069 | 0.037 | 0.052 |
| Size of Received Transfer | $187 | $227 | $101 | $154 |
| Usual Food Consumption | $7196 | $8060 | $7124 | $5060 |
| Family Size | 2.370 | 2.730 | 1.890 | 1.560 |
| Per Capita Food Consumption | $4808 | $4738 | $5361 | $4430 |
| Hours Per Week | 19.8 | 27.5 | 10.0 | 2.3 |
| Weeks Worked | 25.0 | 35.3 | 17.7 | 4.7 |
| Receiving SSA Income | 0.458 | 0.138 | 0.840 | 0.966 |
| Receiving SNAP | 0.070 | 0.093 | 0.044 | 0.032 |
| Contribute to a Pension | 0.079 | 0.122 | 0.034 | 0.005 |
| Percent of Income Cont. | 0.006 | 0.009 | 0.003 | 0.0003 |
| Ever Contributed to Pension | 0.222 | 0.321 | 0.149 | 0.027 |
| Vehicle Value | $16851 | $18320 | $18972 | $11437 |
| IRA Value | $65123 | $47195 | $111975 | $73405 |
[i] Source: Authors’ Calculations of PSID data.

Figure 2
Age of Unemployed Child and Matched Mothers
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Not included in unemployed children and individuals whose unemployment coincided with final year of schooling.
Table 2
Summary of Adult Children in the Year of Unemployment, by Age of Mother
| All N=9236 | With Moms Age <62 N=6259 | With Moms Age 62-70 N=2066 | With Moms Age >70 N=911 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 32.2 | 28.8 | 37.1 | 44.9 |
| Female | 0.509 | 0.517 | 0.488 | 0.501 |
| Male | 0.491 | 0.483 | 0.512 | 0.499 |
| With Minors | 0.727 | 0.771 | 0.672 | 0.543 |
| Married | 0.464 | 0.450 | 0.494 | 0.488 |
| Same State | 0.821 | 0.832 | 0.809 | 0.774 |
| Kid more educated that mother | 0.541 | 0.502 | 0.620 | 0.631 |
| Concurrent w/disability | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.010 | 0.019 |
| Concurrent w/new child | 0.097 | 0.111 | 0.080 | 0.041 |
| Concurrent w/divorce | 0.101 | 0.104 | 0.100 | 0.085 |
| Concurrent w/sibling unemp. | 0.308 | 0.309 | 0.317 | 0.285 |
| Displaced | 0.277 | 0.278 | 0.279 | 0.261 |
| Layoff | 0.187 | 0.194 | 0.181 | 0.154 |
| Firm Closing | 0.044 | 0.420 | 0.054 | 0.041 |
| Voluntary | 0.261 | 0.291 | 0.216 | 0.153 |
| Not Known | 0.477 | 0.446 | 0.518 | 0.595 |
| Worked FT previously | 0.592 | 0.576 | 0.617 | 0.643 |
| Unemp. Spell <26 weeks | 0.728 | 0.741 | 0.716 | 0.661 |
| Remain in LF after spell | 0.758 | 0.761 | 0.760 | 0.737 |
[i] Source: Authors’ Calculations of PSID data.
Table 3
Results from Regressions of Mother Outcomes on Child Unemployment Indicator
| Transfer Sent (Dummy) | Transfer Sent ($Gross) | Household Food ($ Amount) | House- hold Food (Log) | Weeks Employed (Mother) | Hours Per Week (Mother) | Any SSA Income (Dummy) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemp Kid | 0.018*** | 77.844** | -254.938*** | -0.041*** | 0.381* | 0.058 | 0.005 |
| 0.004 | 25.561 | 49.384 | 0.008 | 0.162 | 0.147 | 0.004 | |
| Child Controls | |||||||
| Kid Becomes | 0.01 | 161.373** | -308.218* | -0.098*** | 0.37 | 0.117 | -0.007 |
| Disabled | 0.01 | 49.679 | 121.156 | 0.029 | 0.531 | 0.471 | 0.014 |
| Kid Gets Married | 0.002 | 0.8 | -109.291 | -0.011 | 0.064 | -0.205 | -0.006 |
| 0.005 | 30.644 | 59.779 | 0.009 | 0.203 | 0.186 | 0.005 | |
| Kid Gets Divorced | 0.013* | 61.477 | -134.710* | -0.007 | -0.295 | 0.036 | -0.005 |
| 0.006 | 36.015 | 68.247 | 0.012 | 0.255 | 0.226 | 0.006 | |
| Kid has a Kid | 0.005 | -41.116 | -53.981 | -0.014 | -0.011 | -0.04 | -0.011** |
| 0.004 | 29.435 | 51.688 | 0.008 | 0.176 | 0.163 | 0.004 | |
| Mother Controls | |||||||
| Unemp in Mom’s HH | 0.002 | -56.296 | -157.894 | -0.051* | -4.905*** | -0.156 | -0.026* |
| 0.01 | 45.474 | 119.293 | 0.021 | 0.527 | 0.503 | 0.011 | |
| Partnered | 0.015 | -79.924 | 1547.280** | 0.239** | -12.269*** | -12.377*** | 0.216*** |
| 0.033 | 194.591 | 591.443 | 0.088 | 2.659 | 2.313 | 0.055 | |
| Divorced/Sep | -0.016 | -277.641 | -534.796 | -0.124 | -12.468*** | -11.433*** | 0.140* |
| 0.033 | 190.76 | 592.083 | 0.088 | 2.663 | 2.309 | 0.054 | |
| Never Married | -0.038 | -210.439 | -495.486 | -0.137 | -12.315*** | -10.293*** | -0.001 |
| 0.035 | 197.839 | 625.225 | 0.096 | 2.944 | 2.579 | 0.059 | |
| Widow | 0.008 | -70.413 | -468.533 | -0.156 | -13.740*** | -13.465*** | 0.176** |
| 0.033 | 192.926 | 589.159 | 0.088 | 2.672 | 2.316 | 0.057 | |
| Housewife | -0.006 | -22.637 | 183.568 | 0.013 | -11.304*** | -7.795*** | 0.060*** |
| 0.007 | 46.773 | 103.427 | 0.018 | 0.526 | 0.493 | 0.009 | |
| Retired | -0.007 | -16.409 | 171.941 | 0.013 | -12.652*** | -8.492*** | 0.127*** |
| 0.007 | 47.842 | 105.568 | 0.019 | 0.547 | 0.516 | 0.011 | |
| Disabled | -0.01 | 12.67 | -248.956* | -0.082** | -12.416*** | -9.102*** | 0.158*** |
| 0.007 | 43.044 | 124.087 | 0.026 | 0.603 | 0.6 | 0.015 | |
| Working | 0.016* | 86.076* | 289.249** | 0.027 | 17.478*** | 14.749*** | -0.022* |
| 0.006 | 37.074 | 95.366 | 0.017 | 0.518 | 0.501 | 0.009 | |
| State UR | 0.001 | -1.744 | -14.385 | -0.005 | -0.201* | -0.239** | -0.003 |
| 0.002 | 12.277 | 23.863 | 0.004 | 0.081 | 0.077 | 0.003 | |
| Year & Age FE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Individual FE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| N | 38004 | 38004 | 38004 | 34229 | 38004 | 38004 | 38004 |
[i] Note: Standard errors listed. Table shows result of seven regressions. Year fixed effects refer to the year of the spell, age fixed effects refer to the age of the mother, and individual fixed effects to the mother.

Figure 3
Coefficient Estimates, Regression of Transfers Sent to Child on Child’s Unemployment
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Figure shows coefficient estimates from a regression of the dollar amount of transfers sent to children in a year on the time path of an unemployment spell.

Figure 4
Coefficient Estimates, Regression of Log Household Food Consumption on Child’s Unemployment
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Figure shows coefficient estimates from a regression of the household’s usual log food consumption in a year on the time path of an unemployment spell.

Figure 5
Coefficient Estimates, Regression of Mother’s Annual Weeks Employed on Child’s Unemployment
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Figure shows coefficient estimates from a regression of the weeks employed in a year on the time path of an unemployment spell.
Table 4
Results from Regressions of Mother Outcomes on Child Unemployment Indicator
| Pension Contribution (% of Income) | Vehicle Value ($2014) | IRA Value ($2014) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemp Kid | -0.068 | -324.563 | -387.872 |
| 0.047 | 262.568 | 1666.556 | |
| Child Controls Kid Becomes Disabled | -0.003 | 1717.893** | 1631.081 |
| 0.058 | 611.554 | 2654.777 | |
| Kid Gets Married | 0.002 | -112.215 | 962.456 |
| 0.063 | 300.458 | 1980.751 | |
| Kid Gets Divorced | -0.094 | -383.548 | 20.523 |
| 0.077 | 383.252 | 2217.627 | |
| Kid has a Kid | 0.105 | -446.334 | 5370.715** |
| 0.08 | 298.492 | 2024.437 | |
| Mother Controls Unemp in Mom’s HH | -0.094 | -1622.824** | 1000.027 |
| 0.082 | 577.93 | 3088.12 | |
| Partnered | -0.285 | 3859.902 | 11016.97 |
| 0.595 | 2141.153 | 7492.575 | |
| Divorced/Sep | -0.093 | -2437.866 | 6749.43 |
| 0.581 | 2141.41 | 8072.114 | |
| Never Married | -0.352 | -3098.082 | 780.111 |
| 0.61 | 2311.693 | 7908.116 | |
| Widow | -0.31 | -204.695 | 9720.645 |
| 0.584 | 2143.12 | 8716.811 | |
| Housewife | 0.051 | -536.347 | 2804.476 |
| 0.067 | 467.173 | 2348.523 | |
| Retired | -0.119 | 366.979 | 4932.375 |
| 0.085 | 504.991 | 3314.999 | |
| Disabled | -0.058 | -1329.250* | 1959.008 |
| 0.07 | 568.876 | 2281.954 | |
| Working | 0.459*** | 534.206 | 194.166 |
| 0.074 | 381.758 | 1922.142 | |
| State UR | -0.038* | -143.787 | 302.133 |
| 0.018 | 117.922 | 727.644 | |
| Year & Age FE | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Individual FE | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| N | 15242 | 15242 | 15242 |
[i] Note: Standard errors listed.

Figure 6
Coefficient Estimates, Regression of Mother’s Average Pension Contribution Share on Child’s Unemployment
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1999-2013. Figure shows coefficient estimates from a regression of the average share of income contributed to a retirement account in a year on the time path of an unemployment spell. In 1999, survey became biennial, hence the years are now spaced two years apart.

Figure 7
Coefficient Estimates, Regression of Mother’s Vehicle Value on Child’s Unemployment
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1999-2013. Figure shows coefficient estimates from a regression of total household vehicle value on the time path of an unemployment spell. In 1999, survey became biennial, hence the years are now spaced two years apart.
Table 5
Select Results from Regressions of Mothers’ Outcomes on Child Unemployment Indicator, Varied by Spell Features and Mother Characteristics
| Transfer Sent (Dummy) | Transfer Sent ($Gross) | Household Food ($ Amount) | Household Food (Log) | Weeks Employed (Mother) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reason for Unemp Displacement | 0.019*** | 86.210* | -190.796** | -0.028* | -0.078 |
| 0.006 | 36.494 | 69.549 | 0.012 | 0.257 | |
| Voluntary | 0.017** | 35.41 | -131.6 | -0.023 | 0.071 |
| 0.006 | 36.196 | 71.192 | 0.012 | 0.238 | |
| Not known | 0.010* | 47.341 | -262.672*** | -0.040*** | 0.39 |
| 0.004 | 24.793 | 58.801 | 0.01 | 0.201 | |
| Labor Supply Before Spell | |||||
| In school | 0.038* | 187.329* | -133.68 | 0.005 | 0.619 |
| 0.015 | 95.266 | 194.206 | 0.026 | 0.582 | |
| Working | 0.011* | 39.251 | -285.200*** | -0.044*** | 0.714** |
| 0.005 | 29.879 | 69.609 | 0.012 | 0.247 | |
| (Re)Entry spell | 0.004 | 55.131 | -288.043** | -0.045** | 0.37 |
| 0.008 | 52.553 | 108.125 | 0.015 | 0.343 | |
| Duration of Spell | |||||
| Less than 4 weeks | 0.017** | 94.530* | -93.074 | -0.008 | 0.062 |
| 0.006 | 37.698 | 69.33 | 0.012 | 0.245 | |
| 5-25 weeks | 0.011** | 28.208 | -294.660*** | -0.046*** | 0.339 |
| 0.004 | 26.664 | 58.99 | 0.009 | 0.194 | |
| 26 weeks or more | 0.014* 0.005 | 58.766 29.979 | -76.398 73.282 | -0.026 0.014 | 0.075 0.269 |
| Labor Supply After Spell | |||||
| Remain in LF | 0.018*** | 60.214* | -194.352*** | -0.029*** | 0.148 |
| 0.004 | 25.463 | 50.509 | 0.008 | 0.169 | |
| Exit LF | 0.011* | 90.714** | -347.161*** | -0.063*** | 0.746** |
| 0.005 | 34.527 | 75.984 | 0.015 | 0.277 | |
| Age of Mother | |||||
| <62 years old | 0.021*** | 66.791* | -256.571*** | -0.039*** | 0.483* |
| 0.005 | 31.312 | 59.32 | 0.009 | 0.194 | |
| 62 - 70 years old | 0.012 | 136.393** | -247.805* | -0.027 | 0.179 |
| 0.006 | 44.884 | 101.821 | 0.018 | 0.346 | |
| >70 years old | 0.007 | 38.614 | -248.701 | -0.075* | 0.066 |
| 0.008 | 49.404 | 130.059 | 0.032 | 0.434 | |
| Mother’s Work Status | |||||
| Working Mom | 0.027*** | 86.807* | -258.895*** | -0.036*** | 1.910*** |
| 0.006 | 36.356 | 65.471 | 0.01 | 0.224 | |
| Not Working Mom | 0.009* | 70.251* | -216.301** | -0.043*** | 0.480* |
| 0.004 | 32.47 | 68.409 | 0.012 | 0.244 | |
| Number of Kids Unemp | |||||
| Multiple | 0.011 | 6.737 | -363.215*** | -0.054** | -0.135 |
| 0.007 | 38.719 | 106.97 | 0.018 | 0.394 | |
| Single | 0.019*** | 86.070** | -240.929*** | -0.039*** | 0.442** |
| 0.004 | 26.642 | 50.591 | 0.008 | 0.164 | |
[i] Standard errors listed. The regressions shown include but do not show estimates for child covariates (marital status, disability status, birth of a child) and mother’s household covariates (presence of an unemployment member, marital status, disability status, employment status, and local unemployment rate).
Table 6
Select Results from Regressions of Mothers’ Outcomes on Child Unemployment Indicator, Varied by Spell Features and Mother Characteristics
| Hours Per Week (Mother) | Any SSA Income (Dummy) | Pension Contribution (% of Income) | Vehicle Value ($2014) | IRA Value ($2014) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reason for Unemp | |||||
| Displacement | -0.085 0.222 | 0.006 0.006 | -0.016 0.081 | -609.951 411.754 | 873.839 2483.971 |
| Voluntary | 0.166 | 0.004 | -0.009 | 496.037 | 1885.715 |
| 0.223 | 0.006 | 0.077 | 521.466 | 2708.635 | |
| Not known | 0.042 | 0.002 | -0.078 | -234.815 | -882.662 |
| 0.183 | 0.005 | 0.05 | 288.635 | 1859.501 | |
| Labor Supply Before Spell | |||||
| In school | -0.191 | -0.005 | 0.062 | -965.514 | -2413.764 |
| 0.593 | 0.015 | 0.162 | 958.416 | 5344.529 | |
| Working | 0.271 | 0.007 | -0.121* | -167.978 | -1454.786 |
| 0.224 | 0.007 | 0.056 | 388.189 | 2528.836 | |
| (Re)Entry spell | 0.013 | -0.003 | -0.079 | -599.676 | 1211.68 |
| 0.331 | 0.007 | 0.082 | 453.678 | 2603.126 | |
| Duration of Spell | |||||
| Less than 4 weeks | -0.081 | 0.006 | -0.063 | -848.764 | -1927.471 |
| 0.223 | 0.006 | 0.072 | 460.423 | 2801.018 | |
| 5 - 25 weeks | 0.156 | 0.006 | -0.078 | -67.61 | -81.938 |
| 0.177 | 0.005 | 0.052 | 300.077 | 1829.726 | |
| 26 weeks or more | -0.036 0.246 | 0.004 0.007 | 0.035 0.061 | -636.967 351.531 | -249.583 2172.317 |
| Labor Supply After Spell | |||||
| Remain in LF | 0.08 | 0.007 | -0.042 | -457.824 | 63.698 |
| 0.152 | 0.005 | 0.049 | 278.039 | 1821.423 | |
| Exit LF | -0.12 | 0.003 | -0.085 | 125.597 | -201.137 |
| 0.254 | 0.007 | 0.063 | 390.191 | 2112.369 | |
| Age of Mother | |||||
| <62 years old | -0.034 | 0.011* | -0.136* | -629.627* | 1193.747 |
| 0.181 | 0.005 | 0.062 | 323.912 | 1938.567 | |
| 62 - 70 years old | 0.247 | -0.013 | 0.09 | 59.071 | -11955.068** |
| 0.295 | 0.011 | 0.103 | 589.662 | 4364.769 | |
| >70 years old | 0.328 0.353 | -0.002 0.01 | 0.024 0.033 | 756.538 501.562 | 4062.347 3578.795 |
| Mother’s Work Status | |||||
| Working Mom | 1.103*** | 0.034 | -0.008 | -1791.323 | -270.684 |
| 0.225 | 0.078 | 0.005 | 1974.127 | 350.927 | |
| Not Working Mom | -0.114 | 0.153* | 0.007 | -928.61 | -330.582 |
| 0.200 | 0.068 | 0.006 | 2767.183 | 350.957 | |
| Number of Kids Unemp | |||||
| Multiple | -0.264 | 0.009 | 0.025 | -67.433 | 968.341 |
| 0.338 | 0.01 | 0.082 | 605.542 | 3121.918 | |
| Single | 0.097 | 0.005 | -0.076 | -347.493 | -508.813 |
| 0.149 | 0.004 | 0.048 | 270.376 | 1702.294 | |
[i] Standard errors listed. The regressions shown include but do not show estimates for child covariates (marital status, disability status, birth of a child) and mother’s household covariates (presence of an unemployment member, marital status, disability status, employment status, and local unemployment rate).
Table 7
Main Coefficient Estimates, Adjusted by Sequential Addition of Controls
| No Controls | Individual Fixed Effects | Year and Age Controls | Mother Controls | Child Controls | Ever Unemp Only | Ever Xfer Only | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer Sent | 0.013*** | 0.020*** | 0.018*** | 0.018*** | 0.018*** | 0.018*** | 0.041*** |
| (Dummy) | 0.003 | 0.003 | 0.003 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.009 |
| Transfer Sent | 8.53 | 87.052*** | 67.379** | 76.464** | 77.561** | 77.364** | 169.893** |
| ($ Amount) | 19.649 | 22.081 | 22.875 | 25.563 | 25.559 | 25.675 | 60.202 |
| Household Food | 86.449 | -331.010* | -287.719*** | -257.769*** | -254.045*** | -254.947*** | -363.754*** |
| ($ Amount) | 130.911 | 160.788 | 47.062 | 49.334 | 49.415 | 49.453 | 73.565 |
| Household Food | -0.100*** | -0.039*** | -0.047*** | -0.041*** | -0.041*** | -0.041*** | -0.046*** |
| (Log) | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.012 |
| Weeks worked | -0.589* | 0.613* | -0.136 | 0.379* | 0.380* | 0.371* | 0.659** |
| 0.272 | 0.241 | 0.217 | 0.162 | 0.162 | 0.162 | 0.237 | |
| Hours per week | -0.521* | 0.699*** | 0.062 | 0.052 | 0.058 | 0.058 | 0.159 |
| 0.171 | 0.205 | 0.189 | 0.147 | 0.147 | 0.147 | 0.236 | |
| Any SSA income | -0.033*** | -0.026*** | 0.002 | 0.005 | 0.005 | 0.005 | 0.005 |
| 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.007 | |
| Pension cont. | -0.177*** | -0.034 | -0.062 | -0.066 | -0.068 | -0.07 | -0.099 |
| 0.045 | 0.039 | 0.04 | 0.047 | 0.047 | 0.047 | 0.084 | |
| Vehicle value | -2918.407*** | -458.103* | -411.898 | -335.144 | -324.563 | -318.569 | -660.155 |
| 281.631 | 225.372 | 233.06 | 264.927 | 265.048 | 266.08 | 384.992 | |
| IRA value | -10093.551*** | 1809.03 | 73.393 | -289.506 | -387.872 | -345.395 | -1367.046 |
| 1892.288 | 1432.179 | 1481.23 | 1660.82 | 1666.556 | 1667.105 | 2873.747 |
[i] Note: Standard errors listed. Each coefficient estimate is from a separate regression, with dependent variable indicated by row and regression controls indicated by column.

Figure A1
Age Pairs of Mother and Unemployed Child
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013.

Figure A2
Share of Mothers Reporting a Transfer Sent to a Child, Average by Age
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013.

Figure A3
Size of Reported Transfers Sent to a Child, Average by Age
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Transfers shown in $2014

Figure A4
Usual Household Food Consumption, Average by Age
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013.

Figure A5
Histogram of Mother’s Weeks Employed Per Year
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Figure shows the weeks worked per year for all mothers in the sample, including non-working mothers.

Figure A6
Histogram of Mother’s Weeks Employed Per Year, Conditional on Positive Weeks
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Figure shows the weeks worked per year for all mothers in the sample, excluding any mothers who did not work in a year.

Figure A7
Histogram of Mother’s Hours per Week, Conditional on Positive Hours
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Figure shows the usual hours worked per week for all mothers in the sample, excluding any mothers who did not work in a year.

Figure A8
Share of Individuals in Households with Social Security Income, by Age
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013. Given variable construction, figure indicates if individual is in a household with SSA income, not necessarily receiving SSA income themselves.

Figure A9
Share of Individuals in Households with SNAP Benefits, by Age
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1985-2013.

Figure A10
Share of Individuals Contributing to Pension, by Age
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1999-2013.

Figure A11
Conditional Share of Income Contributed to a Pension, Average by Age
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1999-2013. Figure shows the share of income contributed to a pension, conditional on positive contribution.

Figure A12
Histogram of Observed IRA Wealth
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1999-2013. Amounts in $2014

Figure A13
Histogram of Observed Vehicle Wealth
Source: Author’s Analysis of PSID data, 1999-2013. Amounts in $2014
Appendix Table 1
Results from Regressions of Mother Outcomes on Child Unemployment Indicator
| Transfer Received (Dummy) | Transfer Received ($Gross) | Weeks Employed (Household) | Hours Per Week (Household) | Weeks Vacation (Mother) | Any SNAP Receipt (Dummy) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemp Kid | -0.001 | 16.741 | 0.451 | -0.092 | 0.08 | 0.004 |
| 0.003 | 11.618 | 0.256 | 0.244 | 0.052 | 0.004 | |
| Child Controls Kid Becomes Disabled | 0.004 | 8.515 | 0.795 | 0.424 | 0.021 | 0 |
| 0.01 | 31.008 | 0.789 | 0.741 | 0.127 | 0.013 | |
| Kid Gets Married | 0.003 | 17.838 | -0.039 | -0.013 | 0.003 | -0.002 |
| 0.004 | 16.344 | 0.302 | 0.296 | 0.067 | 0.004 | |
| Kid Gets Divorced | 0.004 | 3.476 | -0.348 | -0.228 | -0.149* | 0.005 |
| 0.005 | 18.068 | 0.381 | 0.368 | 0.076 | 0.006 | |
| Kid has a Kid | -0.001 | -13.001 | 0.386 | 0.171 | -0.046 | -0.007 |
| 0.003 | 12.989 | 0.27 | 0.266 | 0.055 | 0.004 | |
| Mother Controls | ||||||
| Unemp in Mom’s HH | 0.024** | -0.779 | -7.427*** | -1.058 | -0.786*** | 0.029* |
| 0.009 | 26.533 | 0.733 | 0.726 | 0.1 | 0.012 | |
| Partnered | -0.115* | -361.963 | -9.535* | -11.229** | 0.002 | -0.087 |
| 0.045 | 192.538 | 3.783 | 3.975 | 0.315 | 0.056 | |
| Divorced/Sep | -0.066 | -231.463 | -41.111*** | -39.362*** | -0.325 | -0.022 |
| 0.045 | 199.402 | 3.796 | 3.961 | 0.315 | 0.056 | |
| Never Married | 0.024 0.052 | -110.843 205.1 | -34.216*** 4.042 | -31.162*** 4.186 | -0.375 0.333 | -0.062 0.061 |
| Widow | -0.08 | -292.274 | -27.277*** | -26.718*** | -0.064 | -0.062 |
| 0.045 | 192.238 | 3.869 | 4.048 | 0.328 | 0.057 | |
| Housewife | -0.011 | 24.415 | -12.798*** | -8.938*** | -0.909*** | -0.001 |
| 0.007 | 25.088 | 0.651 | 0.639 | 0.117 | 0.009 | |
| Retired | -0.011 0.008 | 4.195 26.093 | -17.742*** 0.727 | -12.619*** 0.7 | -1.255*** 0.134 | -0.004 0.009 |
| Disabled | 0.014 | 61.62 | -15.181*** | -11.382*** | -0.879*** | 0.027 |
| 0.011 | 37.263 | 0.775 | 0.781 | 0.114 | 0.014 | |
| Working | -0.024*** | -38.117 | 16.707*** | 14.012*** | 1.187*** | -0.050*** |
| 0.007 | 23.627 | 0.605 | 0.617 | 0.109 | 0.009 | |
| State UR | -0.001 0.001 | -3.015 5.378 | -0.481** 0.15 | -0.460** 0.142 | -0.023 0.03 | 0.004* 0.002 |
| Year & Age FE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Individual FE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| N | 38004 | 38004 | 38004 | 38004 | 38004 | 38004 |
[i] Note: Standard errors listed. Table shows result of six regressions. Year fixed effects refer to the year of the spell, age fixed effects refer to the age of the mother, and individual fixed effects to the mother.
Appendix Table 2
Results from Regressions of Mother Outcomes on Child Unemployment Indicator
| Pension Contribution (Dummy) | Stock Value ($2014) | Debt Value ($2014) | Home Value ($2014) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemp Kid | -0.002 | -1513.996 | 454.556 | 1561.479 |
| 0.005 | 1666.428 | 255.919 | 1403.293 | |
| Child Controls Kid Becomes Disabled | 0 | 2626.709 | 1166.494* | -5197.965 |
| 0.008 | 4438.054 | 520.158 | 2718.213 | |
| Kid Gets Married | 0 | 789.654 | 19.885 | 85.658 |
| 0.007 | 2298.371 | 314.955 | 1558.143 | |
| Kid Gets Divorced | -0.009 | -4895.298 | 389.929 | 924.424 |
| 0.007 | 2614.122 | 376.085 | 1974.571 | |
| Kid has a Kid | 0.013 | 278.443 | -283.017 | 913.566 |
| 0.007 | 2205.188 | 286.884 | 1607.339 | |
| Mother Controls Unemp in Mom‘s HH | -0.018 | 70.956 | 339.314 | -350.68 |
| 0.011 | 3505.753 | 716.126 | 2961.22 | |
| Partnered | -0.036 | 19356.652 | -1086.066 | 54720.251*** |
| 0.049 | 15887.211 | 2723.026 | 14534.935 | |
| Divorced/Sep | -0.012 | 14333.635 | -2919.139 | 41898.055** |
| 0.049 | 15451.726 | 2687.231 | 14323.284 | |
| Never Married | -0.042 | 10205.989 | -1909.768 | 7158.833 |
| 0.053 | 15374.619 | 2933.508 | 15570.792 | |
| Widow | -0.043 | 15397.166 | -1398.312 | 47426.496** |
| 0.049 | 15707.192 | 2731.242 | 14577.005 | |
| Housewife | 0.007 | 16.673 | -570.592 | 4878.95 |
| 0.006 | 2940.404 | 514.792 | 2624.946 | |
| Retired | -0.007 | -2265.561 | -1008.653 | 5290.923 |
| 0.008 | 3774.213 | 536.777 | 2940.598 | |
| Disabled | -0.004 | 55.829 | 581.966 | -3280.404 |
| 0.008 | 3601.853 | 640.836 | 3117.021 | |
| Working | 0.058*** | -4727.845* | -922.344 | 768.266 |
| 0.008 | 2228.33 | 510.185 | 2216.697 | |
| State UR | -0.002 | -29.477 | -51.83 | -6495.694*** |
| 0.002 | 898.708 | 124.402 | 779.443 | |
| Year & Age FE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Individual FE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| N | 15242 | 15242 | 12903 | 15242 |
[i] Note: Standard errors listed. Table shows result of four regressions. Year fixed effects refer to the year of the spell, age fixed effects refer to the age of the mother, and individual fixed effects to the mother.
Appendix Table 3
Select Coefficient Estimates from Event Study of Child Unemployment
| Transfer Sent (Dummy) | Household Food ($ Amount) | Hours Per Week (Mother) | Any SSA Income (Dummy) | IRA Value ($2014) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Years Prior omitted | 53.624 | 0.002 | 0.002 | ||
| 63.071 | 0.004 | 0.006 | |||
| Two Years Prior | -0.003 | -92.137 | 0.009 | 0.003 | |
| 0.004 | 47.369 | 0.005 | 0.004 | ||
| One Year Prior | 0.004 | ||||
| 0.004 | |||||
| Year of Spell | 0.017*** | -247.932*** | 0.005 | 0.005 | |
| 0.004 | 49.094 | 0.004 | 0.004 | ||
| One Year Following | 0.006 | -99.408 | -0.004 | -0.004 | |
| 0.004 | 58.54 | 0.005 | 0.005 | ||
| Two Years Following | 0.006 | -182.690*** | -0.003 | -0.003 | |
| 0.004 | 47.453 | 0.004 | 0.004 | ||
| Three Years Following | 0.002 | 1.45 | -0.005 | -0.006 | |
| 0.004 | 62.927 | 0.006 | 0.006 | ||
| Six Years Prior | -1681.603 | ||||
| 1866.971 | |||||
| Four Years Prior | 4238.236** | ||||
| 1631.711 | |||||
| Two Years Prior | |||||
| Year of Spell | -404.534 | ||||
| 1766.55 | |||||
| Two Years Following | -1978.394 | ||||
| 1739.658 | |||||
| Four Years Following | -3165.834 | ||||
| 1954.675 | |||||
| Six Years Following | -473.223 | ||||
| 1936.578 | |||||
| Xpt and Xct | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Age & Year FE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Individual FE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| N | 38004 | 38004 | 38004 | 38004 | 15242 |
[i] Note: Standard errors listed. Table shows result of five regressions. Year fixed effects refer to the year of the spell, age fixed effects refer to the age of the mother, and individual fixed effects to the mother.
Appendix Table B1
Sample Drops
| Target | PSID Group | N (person-year) |
|---|---|---|
| (i.) Individuals with annual labor force measures | Heads and Spouses | 410,524 |
| (iia.) Potential children | Person number of mom is given | 314,200 |
| (iib.) Potential mothers | Female who indicates she has/ had children | 172,032 |
| (iii.) Matched observations | (iia.) = (iib.) | 52,653 |
| (iv.) Matched Moms | All observations of mother has a matched child | 117,843 |
| (v.) Years with transfer recipient info | 1985-2013 | 69,541 |
| (vi.) Kids living separately | 38,004 | |
[i] Note: The first drop (iia) reduces the sample to all independently living heads and wives in the PSID whose mother was ever in the sample; the second drop (iib) reduces the all women in the PSID who indicated they had at least one child; these two groups are matched into group (iii). The person-year matches are expanded to any observations of the mother (iv), the matched sample. From the matched sample, (v) reduces the sample to moms who are observed after 1985 and (vi) to those person years in which at least one child who lives in a separate residence.
Appendix Table B2
Summary of Women 40-80 years old in the PSID by child match and motherhood
| Matched Moms N=35919 | Unmatched Moms N=27375 | Remaining Women N=8791 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 62.0 | 51.3 | 56.7 |
| Min Observed Age | 34.9 | 29.6 | 35.5 |
| Max Observed Age | 68.0 | 57.8 | 61.0 |
| White | 0.744 | 0.709 | 0.738 |
| Black | 0.134 | 0.115 | 0.104 |
| High School or Less | 0.696 | 0.432 | 0.371 |
| Some College or More | 0.298 | 0.565 | 0.604 |
| Married | 0.596 | 0.676 | 0.443 |
| Divorced/Sep. | 0.194 | 0.196 | 0.118 |
| Never Married | 0.029 | 0.053 | 0.333 |
| Widow | 0.180 | 0.074 | 0.106 |
| Disabled | 0.045 | 0.030 | 0.062 |
| Housewife | 0.145 | 0.132 | 0.086 |
| Working | 0.456 | 0.671 | 0.587 |
| Sent Transfer to Kid | 0.072 | 0.041 | 0.037 |
| Size of Transfer to Kid | $336 | $214 | $198 |
| Received Transfer | 0.051 | 0.073 | 0.059 |
| Size of Received Transfer | $159 | $287 | $216 |
| Weeks Worked | 23.2 | 33.1 | 28.6 |
| Weeks Unemployed | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.0 |
| Receiving SSA Income | 0.510 | 0.207 | 0.322 |
| Receiving SNAP | 0.061 | 0.063 | 0.048 |
| Usual Food Consumption | $6904 | $9235 | $6576 |
| Contribute to a Pension | 0.071 | 0.110 | 0.125 |
| Percent of Income Cont. | 0.537 | 0.784 | 1.025 |
| Ever Contributed to Pension | 0.204 | 0.296 | 0.283 |
| Vehicle Value | $17,181 | $18,037 | $16,536 |
| IRA Value | $69,016 | $40,668 | $62,113 |
[i] Source: Authors’ Calculations of PSID data. Table excludes women who are younger than 40 or older than 80 years old. Matched mothers are linked via family id and person number to a child’s observation in at least one wave. Unmatched mothers indicated in survey response that they had at least one child, but was not matched to a separate child observation. Sample weighted using core weights.