title: The economic costs of marital dissolution:  why do women bear a disproportionate cost?
abstract: "We review the literature on the economic consequences of marital dissolution for women.  Longitudinal studies of the effects of divorce and widowhood indicate that both types of dissolutions have negative and prolonged consequences for women's economic well-being.  This is not the case for men, where marital dissolution often leads to an improved economic standard of living.  Following an examination of empirical studies and measurement issues in the divorce and widowhood literatures, we describe preexisting and direct sources of women's postdissolution economic insecurity."  The primary geographical focus is on the United States.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Smock
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas; D019049:Developed Countries; D004243:Divorce; D004467:Economics; D017533:Marital Status; D008393:Marriage; D009656:North America; D014481:United States; D017805:Widowhood
keywords: Americas; Developed Countries; Divorce--women; Economic Factors; Literature Review; Marital Status; North America; Northern America; Nuptiality; United States; Widowed