Reexamining the Economic Costs of Marital Disruption for Women

Objective . Changes in labor force participation and returns may have lessened divorce's traditionally severe economic consequences for women. Method . We use recent data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) to analyze the economic well-being of women whose marriages ended between the first and second waves of data collection. Results . Comparing pre- and postmarital median per capita income shows that marital disruption now has much more modest economic consequences for women than in years gone by. A multivariate analysis suggests that their higher postdivorce incomes can be primarily attributed to labor force participation and human capital. Conclusions . These findings suggest better life chances for divorcèes and their children.