Taxpayer Cost of Divorce and Unwed Births: $112 billion

by Mike McManus

On April 15, tax day, the Institute for American Values and three pro-family groups held a press conference to deliver a sobering analysis that "at least $112 billion" of public costs stem from "family fragmentation" caused by divorce and unwed births.

"This study documents for the first time that divorce and unwed childbearing - besides being bad for children - are costing taxpayers a ton of money," said David Blankenhorn, Institute president.

He noted that until now, marriage advocates based their support for reducing divorce and out-of-wedlock births on two grounds:

1. Due to their religious faith, millions support marriage and oppose divorce and unwed child bearing.
   
   
2. Social costs and human suffering as a result of broken homes is thoroughly documented. For example, children of single parent families are three times as likely to be expelled from school or become pregnant as teens as those from intact homes and are five times as apt to live in poverty.