RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Will You Marry Me, Later?
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 221
OP 259
DO 10.3368/jhr.58.3.1219-10621R2
VO 58
IS 1
A1 Cristina Bellés-Obrero
A1 María Lombardi
YR 2023
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/58/1/221.abstract
AB We examine the impact of raising the minimum age of marriage to 18 years old in Mexico. Using a difference-in-differences model that takes advantage of the staggered adoption of this reform across states, we find a large reduction in the number of registered child marriages. However, we find no effect on school attendance or early fertility rates. We provide evidence that this is driven by a substitution of formal marriage for informal unions. This suggests that when informal unions are a viable option for young couples, age-of-marriage reforms are not enough to prevent early unions and their negative consequences.