@article {Loughran326, author = {David S. Loughran and Julie M. Zissimopoulos}, title = {Why Wait?}, volume = {44}, number = {2}, pages = {326--349}, year = {2009}, doi = {10.3368/jhr.44.2.326}, publisher = {University of Wisconsin Press}, abstract = {We use data from the earlier and later cohorts of the NLSY to estimate the effect of marriage and childbearing on wages. Our estimates imply that marriage lowers female wages 2{\textendash}4 percent in the year of marriage. Marriage also lowers the wage growth of men and women by about two and four percentage points, respectively. A first birth lowers female wages 2{\textendash}3 percent, but has no effect on wage growth. Male wages are unaffected by childbearing. These findings suggest that early marriage and childbearing can lead to substantial decreases in lifetime earnings.}, issn = {0022-166X}, URL = {https://jhr.uwpress.org/content/44/2/326}, eprint = {https://jhr.uwpress.org/content/44/2/326.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Human Resources} }