Financial support by older adults to family members: a configurational perspective

• Published in: Bulletin de l'Institut de recherches économiques et sociales Vol. 88; no. 2; pp. 167 - 194
• Main Authors: Baeriswyl, Marie, Girardin, Myriam, Oris, Michel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.06.2022
• Subjects: Adult children; Density; Dyads; Families & family life; Female roles; Financial support; Gender differences; Inheritances; Intergenerational relationships; Older parents; Older people; Parents & parenting; Relatives; Research Paper; Socioeconomic factors; Womens health; Switzerland; older adults; financial support; Conflict; family configuration; practical help
• ISSN: 2054-0892; 1373-9719; 2054-0906
• DOI: 10.1017/dem.2021.21

Most research on financial inter vivos transfers from older parents to their family members is focused on the giver–receiver dyad, usually between an older parent and an adult child. This study aimed to investigate older adults' financial support beyond this level of intergenerational dyads using an egocentric network perspective (i.e., the configurational approach). Data were from a sample of 2,991 older adults (aged 65 and older) from the Vivre/Leben/Vivere study, a large survey addressing family life and health conditions of older people in Switzerland. We used Wald tests and regression analyses to identify how financial transfers are related to family network properties in later life. Findings showed that older parents' propensity to provide financial support is associated with the density of practical help exchanges within the family (mainly for men) and with the position (mainly for women) and the role they play within their family configuration.