Bequests and Informal Long-Term Care: Evidence from HRS Exit Interviews

Abstract

Informal long-term caregiving for frail elderly individuals by their children may induce parents to compensate their children for their help. To test this hypothesis, I use the exit interview from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). My results show that the decision to care for one’s parents has a significant positive impact on the incidence and amount of bequests received. In addition, increasing the amount of care relative to one’s siblings significantly increases the proportion of bequest within a family. Furthermore, I find that the positive nexus of caregiving and bequest requires a written will as a contract between the parent and the helping child.