Private Financial Transfers, the Great Recession, and Family Context

Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N=16,156), we study private financial transfers among mothers with young children. We describe patterns of transfers over time and explore whether the Great Recession influenced transfer behaviors. We find that the great majority of mothers participate in transfers at some point between years 1 and 9 of their child’s life. We also find that an increase in the unemployment rate is associated with higher odds of receiving a transfer and an increase in transfer dollars received. We find few differences in the association between the unemployment rate and transfers by mother’s family structure. In comparison, we find that poor and near poor mothers, those most likely impacted by the Great Recession, increased both their likelihood of receiving a transfer and the amount received whereas mothers earning between two and three times the poverty threshold reduced transfer dollars received.