The intergenerational effect of the Food Stamp Program on marriage and fertility

Abstract This paper examines the intergenerational effects of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) on fertility and marriage in the United States. Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we leverage the initial roll-out of the Food Stamp Program in the 1960s and 1970s to examine the future family formation decisions of individuals born between 1955 and 1981. The results suggest that exposure to the program has different effects on fertility and marriage based on age and gender. For men, increased exposure to the program reduces fertility at older ages, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with limited effects on marriage. Among women, we find no statistically significant effects of increased exposure to FSP on fertility and marriage. Our study builds on a growing literature that considers the intergenerational impacts of public policies that increase childhood economic resources.