ABSTRACT
At the end of the 20th century, nearly 12 million American men were not living in the same household as their approximately 20 million (under age 21) children. They have been called absent fathers, noncustodial fathers, nonresident fathers, or sometimes deadbeat dads, and yet, as we will see, most of them are not entirely absent from their children’s lives, some retain joint legal or physical custody, and many provide at least some financial assistance to their children. The number of nonresident fathers has been growing quickly, as a result of high rates of divorce and nonmarital fertility. Along with this growth has come the recognition that father absence can have severe and long-term consequences for children’s wellbeing. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an economic perspective on the lives of nonresident fathers and their children.
