When Does Re-Partnering Pay Off? Mothers’ Changes in Financial Well-Being after Moving In with a New Partner

Sharon Bzostek, Rutgers University

Substantial relationship instability among parents means that many children (particularly those born to unmarried parents) will experience parental union dissolution and re-partnering by one or both parents. The consequences of re-partnering are of considerable interest to scholars of family dynamics and processes, and the financial implications of repartnering may be particularly important to those interested in policy-related issues, since re-partnering may provide opportunities for recouping dissolution-related financial losses. In this paper, I use recent, longitudinal information about mothers’ financial well-being in a number of domains to track changes in financial security as they move in with new partners. I also examine patterns of income pooling and shared financial decision-making among mothers and their new partners, relative to mothers who have recently moved in with their children’s biological fathers. The findings from these descriptive analyses have potential implications for public policies aimed at improving financial security among disadvantaged and “non-traditional” families.