 Economic Exchange and Support Within U.S. FamiliesNo 4080, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc Abstract: This paper examines U.S. family exchange and support, its levels and trends. The paper points out the importance of demographics and geographic mobility in affecting the amount and form of family exchange. It then considers family economic exchange in the form of shared living. financial transfers, and the provision of time. Finally, it describes recent tests of family altruism and risk sharing. The paper paints a very pessimistic picture. Demographic, geographic, and economic pressures have taken their toll on U.S. families in recent years. While many Americans are members of extended families that are intact and in touch, a growing number of Americans have few extended family members on whom to rely. Family support in the form of shared living, financial assistance, and significant provision of time is increasingly becoming the exception, rather than the rule. Family economic assistance appears still to be available for many Americans in the case of dire emergencies, but short of such emergencies Americans are increasingly left to fend for themselves. Date: 1992-05 Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nbr:nberwo:4080 Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from Access Statistics for this paper More papers in NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.. Contact information at EDIRC. |
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to contribute.
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to .
EconPapers is hosted by the
School of Business at Örebro University.