The Career Costs of Children

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2017
Volume: 125
Issue: 2
Pages: 293 - 337

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We estimate a dynamic life cycle model of labor supply, fertility, and savings, incorporating occupational choices, with specific wage paths and skill atrophy that vary over the career. This allows us to understand the trade-off between occupational choice and desired fertility, as well as sorting both into the labor market and across occupations. We quantify the life cycle career costs associated with children, how they decompose into loss of skills during interruptions, lost earnings opportunities, and selection into more child-friendly occupations. We analyze the long-run effects of policies that encourage fertility and show that they are considerably smaller than short-run effects.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/690952
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-24