ABSTRACT
In the past two decades, as panel surveys have become widespread, substantial evidence has accumulated concerning the economic consequences of marital disruption measured in terms of the change in some measure of net household income adjusted for differences in household size and composition. Almost without exception, these studies have found large falls in income in the year after a marital split for separating women. National studies covering Britain, Canada, and the USA include Bianchi and McArthur (1989), Bianchi et al. (1999), David and Flory (1989), Duncan and Hoffman (1985), Finnie (1993), Hoffman (1977), Jarvis and Jenkins (1998, 1999), McKeever and Wolfi nger (2001), and Smock (1993, 1994). Crossnational comparative studies have also become more common, building on the pioneering study of Germany and the USA by Burkhauser et al. (1990, 1991). See Andreß et al. (2006) comparing Belgium, Britain, Germany, Italy and Sweden using national panel surveys, and Uunk (2004) and Aassve et al. (2007) comparing member states of the European Union using the European Community Household Panel.
