What Makes Inheritance Fair in Stepfamilies? Examining Perceptions and Complexities

Jensen, Emily Jordan; Stum, Marlene S.; Jackson, Melanie

doi:10.1080/10502556.2018.1488123

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Our results also extend research on conjugal testamentary practices by exploring the role of children born before the current union. Previous qualitative studies had suggested that spouses may be seen as a threat to those children's estate claims (Coleman & Ganong, 1998; Finch & Mason, 2000; Jensen et al, 2019), and our results provided novel evidence in support of this idea, by documenting the statistical association between having one's own children from other unions and a lower chance of partner inclusion as an heir. We also added nuance to previous arguments by showing that this effect is greater when also having stepchildren and no shared children.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…With the growth of separation and repartnering, however, many couples have children from previous unions, and transmissions to partners and children may then be more conflicting (Coleman & Ganong, 1998;Finch & Mason, 2000;Jensen et al, 2019). Indeed, when a new partner joins a family, a long process of bonding with and adaptation to children begins, in a cultural and legal context that offers no clear model and often devalues the role of stepparent (Cherlin & Furstenberg, 1994).…”

Section: Bequests To the Partner And Children From Current And Previo...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conjugal testamentary practices in Canada: The gendered effect of children from other unions

Pugliese

Belleau

Biron‐Boileau

2022

J of Marriage and Family

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Objective This article explores the conjugal testamentary practices of married and cohabiting people aged 25–50 depending on having children from other unions, shared children, and gender. Background After the death of a partner, inheriting may reduce adverse financial consequences for the surviving spouse. However, the deceased's will defines whether or not the spouse inherits. Moreover, unmarried people may be less likely than the married to include their partner as one of their heirs, and parents (especially mothers) of children from previous unions may hesitate to bequeath to their current partner. Yet, conjugal testamentary practices remain understudied. Method Using data from Québec, Canada (N = 3052) and controlling for socio‐demographic factors, multinomial models explore the will status of cohabiting and married people and the position of partners as heirs depending on children situation and gender. Results Although most married people count their current partner as one of their heirs, only a minority of cohabitors do so. Also, cohabiting people with children from previous unions are less likely than those without to make their current partner an heir, especially if the couple has no shared children. In contrast, married women with children from previous unions are as likely as those without to include their spouse among their heirs, and married men are more likely to do so if they have children from a different union. Conclusion Results support the hypotheses of a matrilineal tilt in wealth transmissions as stepfamilies diffuse and of a “swapping families” effect of remarriage for men.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Bequests To the Partner And Children From Current And Previo...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Conjugal testamentary practices in Canada: The gendered effect of children from other unions

Pugliese

Belleau

Biron‐Boileau

2022

J of Marriage and Family

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Differences in the bond strengths may be moderated for step relationships of longer duration (Becker et al 2013), demonstrating the complexity of step ties. Some potential issues which can be challenging in complex families are specific to older parents, based on weakening intergenerational solidarity (e.g., conflict about inheritance; Jensen et al 2019). Boundary ambiguity may generate a mismatch between role expectations and responsibilities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Mothers and Daughters Most Important? How Gender, Childhood Family Dissolution and Parents’ Current Living Arrangements Affect the Personal Care of Parents

Kridahl

Duvander

2021

Social Sciences

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This study examines adult children’s propensity to provide personal care to older mothers and fathers. The theory of intergenerational solidarity facilitates the understanding of commitment and support between adult children and parents. Solidarity may depend on childhood events as well as the current situation, and we therefore focus on whether there was a parental breakup in childhood and the parent’s current living arrangements. We also focus on the gendered aspects of the relations as earlier research has found stronger matrilinear relationships. The propensity for personal care was analyzed with regression analysis using the 2012 Swedish Generations and Gender Survey. The results show that daughters are more likely than sons to provide personal care to both parents. Parental breakup in childhood does not change the propensity of personal care to any parent. The probability of receiving care is higher for lone mothers than for mothers living with the father, but not for repartnered mothers. Adult children’s care provision does not differ for lone fathers and fathers living with the mother, but children are more likely to provide care to lone fathers than to repartnered fathers. We interpret this to indicate that repartnering weakens ties to fathers but not mothers. The results indicate that the child’s gender and the parent’s living arrangements operate differently with regard to care for mothers and fathers. The most common pattern is care provided from daughters to mothers. For example, daughters of lone mothers are more likely to provide care than sons in the same situation. We conclude that intergenerational solidarity is not affected by parental breakup in childhood but that present living arrangements affect such solidarity in gendered ways.

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Family dynamics and their association with elder family financial exploitation in families with appointed powers of attorney

Steinman

Vincenti

Yoon

2020

Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect

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What Makes Inheritance Fair in Stepfamilies? Examining Perceptions and Complexities

Cited by 7 publications

References 19 publications

Conjugal testamentary practices in Canada: The gendered effect of children from other unions

Conjugal testamentary practices in Canada: The gendered effect of children from other unions

Are Mothers and Daughters Most Important? How Gender, Childhood Family Dissolution and Parents’ Current Living Arrangements Affect the Personal Care of Parents

Family dynamics and their association with elder family financial exploitation in families with appointed powers of attorney

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