Based on an analysis of adults ages 25 to 65 in the 2023 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), this Fast Fact examines the financial wellbeing of parents compared with those without children, with a focus on the status of women. It analyzes total income and ownership rates and the median value of homes, retirement assets, and stocks and bonds.
D F mor e ot spi he wt om res lw ow en as e by r $ 41 rpa at,e 232 rs ent of ac lho om and m pa e m ow rea d r ne iw ta rishi lt h st p, $30 at us w,es om 108 , e itn fshou or w isi thout ngl ld b ee c m not hi ot ldr he ed ern tsha . re F tpor ur ac the rtoss ed rm hi bot or ghe eh , r tpa he ow r e m nt ne ea di rlshi a st n a pt t ot use raa te ls s ,i nc f m or om a rrre ie e ti d f ror ew m om ente n Marital and Parental Status m ha ass a d r erttis he ea d nd hi wghe om stoc e st n ks rw aa tie nd ts hou of bonds ta c ss hi eltdr c ow oe m n ne pa wrra shi es d $52 p w a itnd ,h 342 m the ot , w he la hi r rge s. ch st F w or m a s ienst di 27 a an pe nc tr ot ec,e a56 nt l i nc hi peom ghe rcee nt rs t. ha of Hn ow w tha om eve t e of r n , w m miot a thou rhe rierd ts c m ha hi ot d ldr he low ern s.e r r e por rate ts ed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council ow of a ni ss ng et r ow etine rem rshi ent p a ass cre oss ts, a cl olm exa pam rei d ne w di tth ype 45 s pe ofr c ae ss nt e tof s e m xc ot ept he r hom s. eownership compared with those who did not Marital status can also play a role in the incomes and assets held among individuals. In a focus on women, the A ham ve ong chiw ldr om en. e n I n hom pare tiow culne arr , s, si ng mot lehe mro st w heho rs ha we d re the no low lone ge str m m ea di rra ie n d tot ha ad l itnc heom hig ehe , m ste di ma en dia ass n e hom t vae lue va , la ue nd , followed marital status of each woman was categorized into one of three groups: (1) those currently married (married), March 27, 2025, #526 2 A by ow inc ddi ne lw udi om trishi ona ng ep n l tl hose r w y a,ho t e the s w w f or m ho er e e a di r lno e l a por en xa l onge ttot m ed a ine lbe ri nc d m ing a a om ss rrm ie e eta s d trype r but a ie nd d s. di but t he d not w mhose e di haav n e spous va chi lue ldr es e w of n, a s rae no tt i $250 rte pr me e ,se nt 000 nt ass a in nd ettshe ,$240 s thouse oc,ks 000, a hol nd rd e bonds ;spe (2c ) ttihose ,ve and ly. no hom es a Me mong anwt hi hose le, si ow ngl ni eng m o the the m rs w re ec re e ibot ved h the highe low r e fst or m fae tdi hea rn s ttha ota n l fior nc o m m ot ehe and rs (he Filgur d the e 2) low . Fe or st ia nss sta enc t va e,l ue the s m ace rdi oss an at lo l tal longer married (were married), including those who were widowed, divorced, or separated; and (3) those who had a i C nc ss onsi e om t tde ype e fror ing s. fI at tthe he is i r fm s ina w por nc as tia a $64 nt l c tha ,o 140 l not le,nge e w thi ha s lf e ta fc ior te w d m a by s ar $38 r m ieot d ,040 he wom rs, f or e espe n, m tot c he ia he l tl ot r y s asi a l m ngl hom on eg e m tva ot hose lhe uer s, w m ho i aty i s rbe e e css e spl ie ve nt itd iw a ilnc i t th oom t ta he ke ei .r W ispous nt hi o le e the s, never been married (single). m a ec ve e cdi ount n a though n ttot he a lf a tihe nc mi om ove ly si er ta aua l nd l tva im ons le ue di of of an pa trhe e rtti ir h ce om im pae nt ent m s .a a W ss y e hi be t lva ehi f lur g ue hte he w r.e rThe rr ee si se m gni are cdi fh ic a ia n s nt ne hom ly ede hi eghe d va to lr ue ga for f in or fa a m t be he art rr ts i ee t rha d unde w n om mro st etn he andi rres, fng l e the c t of s y the Exploring the Financial Implications of Motherhood: w onl fina ery e nc tm he iauc l va di h lfm ue fior c ul of et i c te he om s ie rpa nc ind rount aibl viedua e a re m d long sha by r pa te hose .r ent s w , ibe thout nef ic t hi plla dr n espons n. For or inst s and anc pol e, tihe cym ma eke dia rs n c tl ot ea ar ll i y nc shoul ome df or consi fathe derrs the wa s Married women had the highest rates of asset ownership compared with other marital statuses (Figure 3). c $64, hall140 enge cs om papa rer nt ed s fw ac ite h i$38, n acc 0um 40 ul for at m ing othe ass re s,t sa w 69 he pe n de rce si nt gni hing ghe ar nd inc re om gulea f tior ng f a be the ne rf s. it Ipl n a cns ont . rast, the median However, mothers had lower rates of ownership rates of retirement assets and stocks and bonds compared with Analyzing How Having Children Influences Financial Figure 4 i ncomes for men and women without children were $48,541 and $45,492, respectively, only a 7 percent women in the same marital group who did not have children. For example, while 50 percent of married mothers Median Total Income and Asset Values, by Marital and Parental Status di fference. This discrepancy may be Wellbeing attributed to many m i otn herWo s choom singen to pa use their careers or take on less reported owning retirement assets, only 30 percent of single mothers did. In contrast, the retirement asset demanding roles, such as accepting lower positions or switching to part-time work, which significantly reduces ow ne This rshi p rer por atet fw or a s mw ar rr it it ee d n w by om Se an mw ita it hout Thepha chisi ldr t, e EB n w Ra Is R si egn sea if ricch ant Alss y oc hiighe ate,r w ati t63 h a pe ssirst ce ant nc — e f r13 om pe the rc eInt nst age itut poi e’s nts Median Total Income Median Retirement Assets Value their incomes compared with those of fathers. above that of married mothers. Single mothers, in particular, reported the lowest asset ownership rates for all asset Thisr e Fas seatr c Fac h at nd exa edi mtior ne ia s lt he sta f ff is. na A nc ny ial vi weew lls be eixpr ng e of ss pa ed ri en nt ts hic s om repor parte d arw e i tt hose h adul oft st he wi a thou uthor t c hi and ldrsehoul n, wd it h not a fbe oc us $60,000 $60,000 $52,342 $50,000 $50,000 typea s sc exa ribe md ine to d tc he om of pa fic re ed rs, w tirtust h ae ny es, ot or he ot r he group r sponsor . F s ig of u re EB 2 RI, Employee Benefit Research Institute-Education on the status of women. It analyzes total income, ownership rates, and the median value of homes, retirement $50,000 $50,000 $41,842 $41,232 a ssea ts, nd and Re se stoc arc ks h F and und bonds (EBR . I The -ER a Fna ), lor ysi ts he is ir ba stse aff d s.on N e siur the ve ry EB respons RI nor e s EB from RI- ER adul Ft s lobb age ie s s 25 or t t oa ke 65s w posi ho tions on Median Total Income and Asset Values, by Gender and Parental Status $39,198 $35,889 Figure 3 $36,000 $40,000 $40,000 1 partispe cipa citfeid c i pol n the icy 2023 proposa Surlve s. y EB of R IInc invi om te es ac nd om Pm rogr enta m on P thi ars tic re ipa sea tiron ch. ( SIPP). $32,000 $30,108 Asset Ownership Rates Among Women, by Parental and Marital Status Median Total Income Median Retirement Asset Value $30,000 $30,000 70% $20,000 66% Gender and Parental Status $75,000 $70,000 $80,000 $20,000 $64,140 $20,000 $14,000 63% $70,000 $10,000 $10,000 $60,000 60% Individuals ages 25 56%to 65 were categorized into gender and parental status groups to compare ownership rates of 54% $48,541 $0 $60,0 $0 00 $45,492 52% homes,$ r 5e 0t,i0 re 0m 0 ent accounts, and stocks and bonds. The two parental status groups are (1) those with biological, 50% 50% $50,000 $44,700 step, or adopted children of$ 3 a8 ny ,04 a0 ge (parents) and (2) those without children of any age. $40,000 Fathers were more likely to own each type of assets than were mothers (Figure 1). For example, 59 percent of $40,000 39% 39% 39% $30,000 fathers 40 re %ported owning a home, compared with 54 percent of mothers. A different patter $n 28 c,a 0n 00be $ obse 28,1r0 ve 0 d among $30,000 non-parents, as women without children reported higher ownership rates for homes and retirement accounts than $20,000 $20,000 30% Parent Non-Parent Parent Non-Parent men without children. For instance, 56 percent of women with no children reporte29% d owning retirement assets, 30% $10,000 $10,000 compared with 50 percent of men with no children. 22% 22% Median Home Value Median Stocks/Bonds Value 20% Figure 1 $0 $0 18% 20% 17% $300,000 $30,000 Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Asset Ownership Rates, by Gender and Parental Status $240,000 $250,000 $25,000 70% $235,000 $250,000 10% $25,000 Parent Non-Parent Parent Non-Parent 10% $200,000 $200,000 $20,000 7% 59% 60% $18,000 $200,000 56% $20,000 55% 54% $165,000 50% Median$ St 12,o 5cks 00 /Bonds Value $150,000 Median Home Value 50$ % 15,000 0% 45% $10,000 $100,000 $30 $,1 00 0,0 000 $250,000 40% 35% $220,000 $212,500 32% $210,000 $25,000 $50,000 $5,000 $1,920 $200,000 $2 30 5% ,000 $200,000 25% 23% $0 $0 21% $20,000 18% Married Were Married Single Married Were Married Single Married Were Married Single 20% $20,000 Home Retirement Assets Stocks/Bonds $150,000 10% $14,000 $15,000 $13,000 Source: 2023 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). 0% $100,000 $10,000 Parent Non-Parent Just as married women w Pe ar re en ftound to be N m oor n-P ea lrieke ntly to own each asset type, married women also had the highest $50,000 3 $5,000 median total incomes and the largest median values of retirement assets and stocks and bonds (Figure 4). Source: 2023 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Additionally, women without children had higher median total incomes and a greater median value of stocks and Men Women Men Women Men Women $0 $0 bonds compared with mothers with the same marital statuses. For example, the median total income for married Home Retirement Assets Stocks/Bonds Conclusion Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Source: 2023 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). 3 Parent Non-Parent Parent Non-Parent Total income, retirement asset values, and the values of stocks and bonds are recorded at the individual level, reflecting only Among parents, fathers generally had higher rates of asset ownership and higher median values for the assets what each person receives in income or has in their retirement or investment accounts. In contrast, primary home values are Source: 2023 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). held, and they also tend to have higher median total incomes compared with mothers. While fathers exhibited 1 collected at the household level. This is done by asking the reference person in each household to provide the value of the The U.S. Census Bureau describes SIPP as “a nationally representative longitudinal survey that provides comprehensive higher asset ownership rates than men without children, women without children reported higher ownership rates 2 hom Tote a li f pte he rsy on ow al n in ic to . m Som e in ec re lufde ere s nc eae rni pe nrs gs ons and mp arofi y retpo s/los rt t sh ea st fr one om i a nd ll ijvi obs dua , p l e in rst ona he l hous inve es ho tm ld en h ta /pr s f ope ull row ty i nn ec rs om hip e, of pe trs he on hou al se, information on income, employment, household composition, and participation in government programs.” It also provides for retirement assets and stocks and bonds compared with mothers. Furthermore, women without children had i w nc hi olm e o e tr he ecrs ei v m ea d yfrom indic m ate ea s ns ha -re tes d te ow d tne rans rsh fe ip. r progr For eaxm am s (i plnc e, liu ndi ang m a Srri SI, e d T hous ANFe , hol GA d,, a one nd trhe efe V reen te cr ea pe ns rs Pon ensm ioin ght pr ogra statem th ),a t their data on economic well-being, family dynamics, education, wealth, health insurance, child care, and food security. Survey of higher retirement asset ownership rates than men, regardless of parental status, while women with children had pe hom rsona e isl v sa olc uie ad l ians t $30 uran 0, c00 e p 0, aym wie th ntesa , c ah nd spous othee r ow incni om ng e s $150 ourc,e 000. s suc In h a con s: s tra urv sti,vor anot be he nr e f re itf se , re renc tire e m pe ers nton be fro nefi m t sa , di dis ff ae bi re lint ty Income and Program Participation (SIPP) the lowest ownership rates for these assets. be hous nee fiho ts,l d fos m ta ey r c chi lalid mc taha ret pa the yi m r e ho ntm s,e c i hi s la d lsso up w port orth p$ a300 yme ,000 nts,, abut l im on ony ly p one aym se pous nts, e lu ow mp ns -s u itm e nt pa ire ym ly, en m tsa , k de ing fe rr onl edy pa one ym of ent th s e from spous a e spri a or hom job eow , lif ne e i rns . urance payments, or miscellaneous income sources. © 2025, Employee Benefit Research Institute, 901 D St. SW, Suite 802, Washington, DC 20024, 202/659-0670 | ebri.org 4 3 2 5 Parents Parents Non-Parents Married Married Non-Parents Parents Were Married Were Married Non-Parents Parents Single Single Parents Non-Parents Married Married Non-Parents Were Married Parents Were Married Parents Non-Parents Single Single Non-Parents Parents Non-Parents Parents Parents Married Non-Parents Married Non-Parents Were Married Were Married Parents Parents Single Single Non-Parents Non-Parents Married Married Parents Parents Non-Parents Were Married Were Married Parents Single Single Non-Parents Non-Parents