Changing the Price of Marriage: Evidence from Blood Test Requirements

Kasey Buckles, Melanie Guldi and Joseph Price

Journal of Human Resources, 2011, vol. 46, issue 3

Abstract: We use state repeals of blood test requirements (BTRs) for a marriage license that occurred between 1980 and 2008 to examine the impact of changes in the price of marriage on the marriage decision. Using a within-group estimator that holds constant state and year effects and exploits variation in the repeal dates of BTRs across states, we find that BTRs are associated with a 6.1 percent decrease in marriage licenses issued by a state. This main finding is supported with results from individual-level marriage license and Current Population Survey data. The largest effects are found for lower socioeconomic groups.

Date: 2011
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Working Paper: Changing the Price of Marriage: Evidence from Blood Test Requirements (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:46:y:2011:iii:1:p:539-567

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