The effects of childbearing patterns on the timing of retirement

Abstract

The effects of childbearing patterns on the timing of men's and women's retirement were examined. The data for this study come from the Health and Retirement Study, waves 1-7: 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004. A proportional hazard model (Cox regression) was chosen for this study. Two measures of retirement were considered: labor force exit and self-defined retirement. The results indicated that men with dependent children are more likely to postpone the timing of labor force exit and their self-definition as retired. At the same time, the study indicated that the presence (or absence) and timing of early childbearing experience has a long-term effect on the timing of retirement in later life. In particular, for both men and women, childbearing factors associated with a greater family burden in early life (e.g., parenthood and early childbearing) are related to a later labor force exit. The number of children, however, only affects the timing of women's labor force exit.