Wealth in Middle and Later Life: Examining the Life Course Timing of Women's Health Limitations

Background and Objectives: Guided by cumulative inequality theory, this study poses two main questions: (a) Does women's poor health compromise household financial assets? (b) If yes, is wealth sensitive to the timing of women's health limitations? In addressing these questions, we consider the effect of health limitations on wealth at older ages, as well as examine how health limitations influence wealth over particular segments of the life course, giving attention to both the onset and duration of health limitations. Research Design and Methods: Using 36 years of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women, piece-wise growth curve and linear regression models were used to estimate the effects of life course timing and duration of health limitations on household wealth. Results: The findings reveal that women who experienced health limitations accumulated substantially less wealth over time, especially if the health limitations were manifest during childhood or early adulthood . Discussion and Implications: This study identifies how early-life health problems lead to less wealth in later life.