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Bequests and Informal Long-Term Care: Evidence from HRS Exit Interviews
- Journal of Human Resources
- University of Wisconsin Press
- Volume 52, Number 2, Spring 2017
- pp. 531-572
- Article
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ABSTRACT:
Informal long-term caregiving for frail elderly individuals by their children may induce parents to compensate their children for their help. To test this hypothesis, I use the exit interview from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). My results show that the decision to care for one's parents has a significant positive impact on the incidence and amount of bequests received. In addition, increasing the amount of care relative to one's siblings significantly increases the proportion of bequest within a family. Furthermore, I find that the positive nexus of caregiving and bequest requires a written will as a contract between the parent and the helping child.