This federally funded brief discusses how the rise in the popularity of cohabiting is linked to other important shifts in family patterns in the United States, and provides information on the number of cohabiting couples with children, different types of cohabitation, and research findings on cohabitation. Evidence is cited that indicates cohabiting before marriage is […]
To explore the similarities and contrasts between poor and non-poor families, Child Trends analyzed data for more than 100,000 families from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health. Our results suggest that, although poor families experience socioeconomic disadvantages, these families may be enriched by the strengths found in their family routines and relationships. Specifically, we […]
There is a strong correlation between family stability and the family’s social and economic well-being. Two-parent, married families are touted as the ideal environment for raising children. Research shows that stable, two parent married households are connected to various positive outcomes for child well-being. In addition, there are various positive psychological,emotional and economic outcomes for […]
Data shown here are provisional and include only events occurring within the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia). Provisional birth, death, and infant death data in this report are based on a combination of counts of events provided by each reporting area and registered vital events processed into National Center for Health […]
This PowerPoint presentation provides information on the benefits of healthy marriages and father involvement for children and explains the goals of the federal Healthy Marriage initiative. It cites statistics that indicate 45% of children raised by divorced mothers and 69% raised by never-married mothers live in or near poverty. It discusses culturally competent strategies for […]
To help married couples or those planning to be married on the path to building a lasting and happy marriage, the Arizona State Legislature passed a law in April 2000 recognizing the importance of marriage. This legislation includes the development and distribution of a free marriage handbook. The purpose of this handbook is to provide […]
Many States are now implementing new programs to directly help families form and strengthen healthy marriages by making support services available to their clients who want and might benefit from them. Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah are among the States that have used TANF funds for strengthening marriage. Nationally, States and localities are […]
Estimates from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) indicate that in 1998 about 1 million violent crimes were committed against persons by their current or former spouses, boyfriends, or girlfriends. Such crimes, termed intimate partner violence, are committed primarily against women. About 85% of victimizations by intimate partners in 1998, about 876,340, were against women. […]
This summary synthesizes the findings from a four-paper series by Dr. Robert Lerman entitled Effects of Marriage on Family Economic Well-Being. The series examines the economic returns to marriage.
The Marriage Calculator helps policy makers, researchers, and the general public to understand the financial consequences of marriage for individuals earning less than about $40,000 per year. Users can see how taxes and public assistance change when a couple’s living arrangement changes from living apart to cohabiting to married. This is a general use tool. […]