The Dynamics of Marriage and Divorce

52 Pages Posted: 3 Mar 2012

See all articles by Gustaf Bruze

Gustaf Bruze

Aarhus University - School of Business and Social Sciences

Michael Svarer

Aarhus University - Department of Economics and Business Economics; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Yoram Weiss

Tel Aviv University - Eitan Berglas School of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Abstract

We formulate and estimate a dynamic model of marriage, divorce, and remarriage using 27 years of panel data for the entire Danish cohort born in 1960. The marital surplus is identified from the probability of divorce, and the surplus shares of husbands and wives from their willingness to enter marriage. Education and marriage order are complements in generating gains from marriage. Educated men and women receive a larger share of the marital gains but this effect is mitigated when their proportion rises. Education stabilizes marriage and second marriages are less stable. As the cohort ages, uneducated men are the most likely to be single.

Keywords: marriage, divorce, sorting

JEL Classification: J12

Suggested Citation

Bruze, Gustaf and Svarer, Michael and Weiss, Yoram, The Dynamics of Marriage and Divorce. IZA Discussion Paper No. 6379, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2015195 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2015195

Gustaf Bruze (Contact Author)

Aarhus University - School of Business and Social Sciences ( email )

Nordre Ringgade 1
Aarhus C, DK-8000
Denmark

Michael Svarer

Aarhus University - Department of Economics and Business Economics ( email )

Universitetsparken
Building 350
DK-8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
+45 8942 1598 (Phone)
+45 8613 6334 (Fax)

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Schaumburg-Lippe-Str. 7 / 9
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Yoram Weiss

Tel Aviv University - Eitan Berglas School of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 39040
Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 69978
Israel
+972 3 640 9715 (Phone)
+972 3 640 9908 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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