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Cited by 192Family Dynamics and RelationshipsMarriage and Family DynamicsHigher Education Research Studies

Debt, Cohabitation, and Marriage in Young Adulthood

Open access
Addo, Fenaba R.·2014·Demography
DOI 10.1007/s13524-014-0333-6PMC PMC6045913
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Abstract

Despite growing evidence that debt influences pivotal life events in early and young adulthood, the role of debt in the familial lives of young adults has received relatively little attention. Using data from the NLSY 1997 cohort (N = 6,749) and a discrete-time competing risks hazard model framework, I test whether the transition to first union is influenced by a young adult’s credit card and education loan debt above and beyond traditional educational and labor market characteristics. I find that credit card debt is positively associated with cohabitation for men and women, and that women with education loan debt are more likely than women without such debt to delay marriage and transition into cohabitation. Single life may be difficult to afford, but marital life is unaffordable as well. Cohabitation presents an alternative to single life, but not necessarily a marital substitute for these young adults.

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  • Young adults' own wealth supports marriage, while debt encourages cohabitation.

    “young adults’ own wealth supports marriage, while debt encourages cohabitation (Addo 2014, Schneider 2011).”

    From Wealth Inequality and Accumulation (2017) · cites this paper as Addo 2014

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Cited by

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Authors
Addo, F. R.
Affiliations
University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
Corresponding author
Addo, Fenaba R.
ORCID
Addo, Fenaba R.
Venue
Demography
Publisher
Duke University Press
Published
2014-09-30
Volume
51
Issue
5
Pages
1677-1701
ISSN
  • 0070-3370 (ISSN-L)
  • 1533-7790
DOI
10.1007/s13524-014-0333-6
PMC
PMC6045913
OpenAlex
W2112577389
Cited by
192
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 53 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2012: 1
FWCI
18.33
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Demography (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P2CHD047873)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Family Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
Keywords
household debt, credit card debt, cohabitation, marriage timing, early adulthood, family transitions, singlehood, gender differences, competing risks
MeSH terms
Adult, Age Factors, Family Characteristics, Female, Humans, Male, Marriage, Socioeconomic Factors

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