3 feist ifa feist- 477_intergenerational transfers
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Changing Family Structures and Intergenerational
Transfers of Time and Money within Families
Helen Feist PhD | Deputy Director
Australian Population and Migration Research Centre,
University of Adelaide
www.adelaide.edu.au/apmrc
Intergenerational Family Transfers • Intergenerational familial support as social
insurance
• Assistance can take many forms
• Changing societies, changing families and ageing populations are influencing the nature of family support between generations
• Growing number of seniors now and into the future often seen as an economic and service burden…but what is the reality?
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Changing Population and Family Structures
Proportion of Australian Population Aged Under 15 years and 65 years +, from 1901 to 2006
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1901 1921 1931 1971 1991 1996 2001 2006
Pe
rce
nt
< 15 years 65+ years
• Declining Fertility rate + increasing life expectancy means more older people, fewer younger people
• The rise in the proportion of the older population is also indicative of a rise in lone person households in coming years
• Smaller families mean fewer sources of support for older people, particularly those living alone
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Outline of the Research • How much time is given to, and received from, different
generations by older people and what is the economic value of this?
• What demographic and socio-economic attributes influence the transfers of time and money between generations?
• How much money is given to, and received from, different generations by older people?
• What motivates the older generation to make time and/or money transfers?
• What are transfers used for by the younger generation?
• Are time and money substituted for each other and what influences the substitution?
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Respondent Family Typologies
PANKS: Parents and No Kids
KANPS: Kids and No Parents
NoKPS: No Kids or Parents
PAKS: Parents and Kids, or the ‘sandwich generation’
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
PAKS 44%
PANKS 5%
KANPS 47%
NoKPS 4%
Age/Gender of actual sample and weighted sample
0
5
10
15
20
25
50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85+
Pe
rce
nt
Age
Males
W Males
Females
W Females
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Respondent Household Structures
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Children living with
parents
A step or blended family
A sole parent family
Shared care parenting
Adult living alone
Adult living with partner
and no children
Related adults living
together
Unrelated adults living
together
50-54
65-79
80+
Giving and receiving practical help
• 61% provide practical help to family members
Median amount given,
5 hours/week/household
• 30% receive practical help from family members
Median amount received,
5 hours/week/household
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Giving or Receiving Time Transfers by Age
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85+
Per
cen
t
Age
Provide practical help
Receive practical help
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
How Much Time is Given
50 - 64 65 - 74 75+
No amount stated
3.6 9.9 10.0
Up to 5 hours 44.0 42.0 60.1
5 hours or more 52.7 48.6 30.1
Number of hours of practical help given per week by respondent age
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
69% of males said they give practical help compared to 60% of females
Amount of Time Given by Gender
BUT females who do help give more time than males
How much they give per week...
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
None Up to 5 hours
5 hours or more
Males
Females
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Who Gives Time by Income
Time given by respondent income
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Up to $40,000
$40,000 - $80,000
$80,000+
5 hours or more
< 5 hours
0
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Other Factors Influencing Time Transfers
• Children: respondents with no children were the least likely to both give and receive both practical and financial help
• Siblings: a smaller proportion of people with no living siblings provide help to family members compared to other groups but...
• Marital status: Respondents who were separated divorced were more likely to give practical help to other family members but....
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Summary of Time Given and Received
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Gave Practical Help
Received Practical Help
Proportion of individuals
60.7% 29.2%
Average number of hours/week/person*
7.1 8.0
Annual value/person** $9,658 $10,882
Total value for Australian 50+ population
36.3 Billion 19.4 Billion
* Only those respondents who gave or received ** Based on Australian Average Weekly Earnings hourly rate, $26.16
The Value of Giving for the Australian Economy
Approximately 36 Billion per annum is given in practical help to other family members by people aged 50 years and over in Australia, this compares to:
• A national government annual expenditure on health in 2010 of $21 billion;
• The national government annual expenditure on education in 2010 of $8.5 billion, or the
• National government annual expenditure on defence in 2010 of $19.4 billion.
It can also be compared to:
• Value of production in the mining industry: $25 billion
• Value of retail industry: $14.6 billion
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide (ABS Cat No. 5206 Table 6)
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Dr Lisel O’Dwyer
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Project Researchers:
Lisel O’Dwyer PhD
Helen Feist PhD
Kelly Parker PhD
Jennifer Buckley PhD
George Tan PhD