Natasha Pilkauskas

Studies the impact of the 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) on low-income families. Finds that the 2021 monthly CTC reduced the number of hardships families experienced, especially food insecurity, weak evidence that the credit reduced medical hardships and reliance on friends and family for food, and that it had no impact on labor supply.

Examines the impact of the 2021 temporary expansion to the Child Tax Credit on housing affordability and the living arrangements of families with low incomes. Finds that the monthly CTC reduced parents’ past-due rent/mortgages (both amounts and incidence) and their reports of potential moves due to difficulties affording rent/mortgages. The CTC increased the likelihood that parents reported a change in their living arrangements and reduced their household size.

Reports on the results of a randomized controlled study of a one-time $1,000 unconditional cash transfer in May 2020 to families with low incomes in 12 U.S. states. Finds no statistically significant effects on material hardship, mental health, parenting, child behavior, partner relationships (powered to detect effects of 0.09 standard deviations); finds significant reductions in material hardship among families with less than $500 of earnings in the previous month.

Builds on earlier work that shows that the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has a substantial positive effect on maternal labor supply to show that labor supply effects are concentrated among mothers with children under age three, with only moderate effects of the EITC on the labor supply of mothers with teenagers. These increases in labor supply are coupled with large increases in the use and cost of child care among mothers with children under age three.

Uses data from the decennial census from 1870 to 2010 and the 2018 American Community Survey to examine historical trends in children’s multigenerational living arrangements. Finds that in 2018, 10% of U.S. children lived in a multigenerational household, a return to levels last observed in 1950. The current increase in multigenerational households began in 1980, when only 5% of children lived in such households.

Analyzes whether the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) affects the housing (eviction, homelessness, and affordability) and living arrangements (doubling up, number of people in the household, and crowding) of low-income families. Suggests that increases in the EITC improve housing by reducing housing cost burdens, but it has no effect on eviction or homelessness. Increases in the EITC also reduce doubling up and in particular, doubling up in someone else’s home.

Examines the association between the Great Recession and real assets among families with young children. Investigates the association between the city unemployment rate and home and car ownership and how the relationship varies by family structure (married, cohabiting, and single parents) and by race/ethnicity (White, Black, and Hispanic mothers). Finds that the recession was associated with lower levels of home ownership for cohabiting families and for Hispanic families, as well as lower car ownership among single mothers and among Black mothers, whereas no change was observed among married families or White households.

Investigates whether the stability of maternal employment in early childhood (birth to age 5) is linked with child behavior and cognitive skills at ages 5 and 9. Links employment stability (continuous employment over all 5 years, low levels of job churning, longer job tenure) with less child externalizing behavior.