The economic well-being of never- and ever-married single mother families: A cross-national comparison

This paper addresses the effect of marital status on economic well-being by comparing the economic situation of never- and ever-married single mother families in the U.S. and three other Western industrialized countries, Australia, Canada and France. Data from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) are used to describe the contribution of employment, public transfer, and child support income, as well as demographic variables, to the poverty status of these two family types. The findings from this study indicate that across the four countries never-married mother families had higher rates of poverty than families headed by an ever-married single mother. The findings are discussed within the context of what might be learned for addressing the economic risks faced by single mother families in the United States.