This study aims at presenting the degree and size of financial independence between generations in the families with data of analysis on financial interchanges between adult children and their parents regarding the subjects of married households which...
This study aims at presenting the degree and size of financial independence between generations in the families with data of analysis on financial interchanges between adult children and their parents regarding the subjects of married households which have not lived with their parents. For this purpose, after the examination of parents' survival types and financially interchanging types, the numbers of interchanging households, the differences of financial interchanges, their interchanging expenses and interchanging subjects( householders' parents and spouses' parents) were analyzed. Besides, after the types of financial interchanges are divided into two such as a receptive type of households and a supplying type of households, the features of the two types of households were researched and the differences of interchanging expenses were analyzed. Finally, according to the survival types of both parents in two families, the households of adult children were classified into three types such as both parents' survival type, a householder's parents survival type and a spouse' survival type. And then, the decisive factors which were considered to have the possibility of having effects on both net receptive expense and net supplying expense, as well as whether or not there were receptive households and supplying households were analyzed.
In order to analyze this result, the 6th data of Korean Labour and Income Panel Study of Korean Labour Institute in 2003 was used and 2,485 adult children' households (The numbers of financially interchanging households were 1,379 and those of non-financially interchanging households were 1,106.) in which one or two of parents of a householder' spouse and both of a householder' parents were alive were selected as the subjects for this study. Used data were analyzed by means of frequency, percentage, average, t-test analysis, ANOVA analysis, Probit analysis and OLS analysis.
Analysis results of this study can be summarized as follows.
Firstly, adult children' households which had interchanged financially were 55.5% of the whole sample. This survey revealed that compared to non-financially interchanging households, financially-interchanging householders were featured by old age, high education, occupation status, Seoul residence, house ownership, as well as positive perception on their present financial condition and their health condition. In addition, they had a number of total income, net assets and debts. And in this case, it was founded that only one of the householders' parents was alive as a widow or a widower and the both parents of spouses were alive. Besides, it was shown that they had often visited householders' parents and had rarely met spouses' parents.
Secondly, it was discovered that the type of both parents' survival in two families amounted to 54.1% in financially interchanging households but, 45.9% in non-financially interchanging households. And the type of householders' parents survival was 66% in financially interchanging households, but 33.2% in non-financially interchanging households. The type of spouses' parents survival was 53.7% in financially interchanging households, but 46.3% in non-financially interchanging households. The result of this study revealed that a householder-centered financial interchanges were a main current. In other words, financial interchanges were focused on a husband's parents' home.
Thirdly, the type of adult offsprings who supply only financial resources, not receiving them amounted to 35.5% in the first place among 15 numbers of financially-interchanging basic types between adult children and their parents. Besides, the survey identified that as a result of classifying the basic types of financial interchanges into two, such as the type of receptive households and the type of supplying households, the type of receptive households amounted to 14.8% and the type of supplying households 85.2%, and a yearly average of net receptive expense was ₩2,054,200 and a yearly average of net supplying expense was ₩1,309,000 in aspect of real interchanging expenses.
Fourthly, a study on characteristics of the receptive type and the supplying type in terms of financially interchanging households showed the fact that compared to the latter type, the former type was lower in age of adult children's householders and much lower in percentage of house ownership, but higher in education level. Moreover, the former proved to perceive the present financial condition and health condition in a more negative way resulting in having smaller amount of yearly total income and net assets. As well, it was shown that the survival cases of householders' parents and spouses' parents were more in number, and householders' parents and spouses' parents had often visited.
Fifthly, analysis on the differences of financially interchanging expenses according to the features of households doing financial interchanges resulted the fact that net income of financially receptive type of households was significantly different according to visiting frequency between spouses' parents ,as well as sexual distinction of adult children's householders. Net expenditure of the supplying type of households revealed a significant difference between the groups in terms of age, educational standard, occupation status, housing possession situation of adult children householders, their subjective perception on the present financial condition and the current health condition, whether or not both parents of householders are alive, whether or not both parents of spouses are alive and according to visiting frequency of spouses' parents.
Sixthly, as the first analysis result on the decisive factors between the receptive type of households and the supplying type of households in terms of financial interchanges with the subjects of adult children and their parents, a variable to have a significant effect on the receptive types of financial interchanges was age squared(-), residential area: Megalopolis(a wide city area)(+). Province(+). total income(+), whether or not spouses' parents are alive(-), visiting frequency of householders(+). In addition to that, whether or not the type of financially supplying households is significant was determined by occupation status, residential area: Megalopolis(-). Province(-), total income(+), house ownership(+). As the second analysis result on the influencing factors on financial interchanges, main factors having effects on net income(net receptive expense) were education level(+), residential area: Megalopolis(a wide city area)(+). Province(+). total income(+) as well as whether or not spouses' parents are alive(-) and visiting frequency of spouses' parents(+). And relative influencing power of variables amounted to 40.7%. Factors to have effects on net expenditure(net supplying expense) were revealed education level(+), educational level(+), residential area: Megalopolis(a wide city area)(+). Province(+). total income(+), house ownership. And relative influencing power of variables amounted to 22. 4%.
Finally, it was discovered that as a result of analysis on whether there were financial interchanges or not and financially interchanging expenses according to the survival types of both parents in two families, a significant factor deciding the receptive type of financial interchanges in the survival type of both parents depended on whether householders' parents are alive(+). And the significant decisive factors of the supplying type of financial interchanges were sexual distinction(+), educational level(+), occupation status(+), whether there is the eldest daughter or son not(+), residential area: Province(-), total income(+), house ownership(+). The influencing factor of net supplying expense was whether spouses' parents are alive(+) and visiting frequency of spouses, etc. The decisive factor to have effects on whether or not there is the type of financially receptive households was sexual distinction(+) in the type of householders' parents survival. The decisive factors having effects on whether or not there is the survival type of spouses' parents were occupation status(+) ad total income(+). The influencing factors having effects on net receptive expense were net assets(-), house ownership(+). It proved that there were no influencing factors of net supportive expense. The decisive factors whether or not there was the receptive type of households in terms of financial interchanges in the survival type of spouses' parents were educational level(-), residential area, Megalopolis. The decisive factors whether or not there was the supplying type of households were occupation status(+), residential area: Megalopolis(-). Province(-), total income(+). The effective factors on net receptive expense were occupation status(+) and the effective factors on net supplying expense were sexual distinction(-), age(-), age squared(+), educational level(+), residential area: Megalopolis(-), Province(-), house ownership(+). As a result, it was assumed that when financial resources were given to spouses' parents, the expense was affected by adult children householders, that is, individual characteristics of brother-in-law.
In conclusion, there are five key findings based on the results of this study as follows.
Firstly, this paper showed that adult children householders in the thirties were in the highest position of net supplying expense out of total expenses for financial interchanges, which suggested the possible reduction of their responsibilities or roles or duties toward their parents since adult children were in the forties. Therefore, diverse institutional devices for our old age in a personal aspect will have to be prepared and employment opportunities in a national aspect will have to be expanded so that parents' generations can be independent from their adult children at old age financially.
Secondly, it will be needed to pay attention to non-financially interchanging households with their parents amounting to 44.5%. In particular, it was analyzed that adult children without interchanging financially with their parents were in an unstable position economically. The current basic national life protection law establishes the standards for supporters responsible for supporting their parents with a view to emphasizing private support for their parents or families. Therefore, it was assumed that adult children's parents who were in a poor condition socially and economically were limited to both private support and public support for their parents. Therefore, in consideration of the fact that financial interchanges of adult children with their parents had an important supportive function for their parents, it is necessary that the Government should establish public supporting institution as a countermeasure in order to improve and expand the livelihood protection act resulting in guaranteeing and maintaining their basic livelihood.
Thirdly, this paper suggested that net income(net receptive expense) was higher than net expenditure (net supplying expense). It means that because adult children are likely to attain much more financial benefits than their parents, it's not easy for adult children to support their parents by financial interchanges to their parents in individual homes. Even though public support can entirely solve the supporting issue for elderly households and vulnerable households. it is necessary that supporting programs for them should be driven forward in general in order to reduce private supporting burden. Besides, based on basic law for low delivery and aging society focusing on establishing a social environment necessary for activation of financial interchanges between generations, this study proposed that the Government would have to be required to attempt to carry out a policy to provide support benefits on financial interchanges between families.
Fourthly, it is a remarkable factor that the most influencing condition is financial stability of adult children through financial interchanges with their parents. To be specific, as noted above, because the most influencing factor which made it possible for adult children to belong to the type of supplying households in terms of financial interchanges was occupation status, first of all, it should be considered an essential prerequisite to attract adult population who are unemployed to labour markets and therefore, let adult children take responsibilities or duties for supporting their parents or families as a realistic measure taken in order to reduce support costs for the old age population. Hence, in relation to this suggestion, in order to enhance market income of adult children in the poverty line, beyond support of living costs, a variety of public measures and institutional devices such as income security system including assistance of living cost, employment or job creation, measures on irregular jobs as well as a policy for financially independent self-support such as expansion of technical education opportunities and activation of working places should be applied to deal with several social issues.
Finally, from the above, it was apparent that traditional values based on a paternity-centered society of our country had effects on financial interchanges between adult children and their parents. This survey affirmed that a main object to interchange financially with parents was their son, especially the eldest son, and net expenditure(net supplying expense) to supply for a wife's parents was a small amount even though their own parents were not alive. Besides, the result of study that financial interchanges with wives' parents tended to decrease in Megalopolis and Province, compared to Seoul verified that financial interchanges between adult children and their parents had focused on a patriarchal value system centered on the eldest son. According to the survey result executed by National Statistical Office in 2002, it was inevitable that daughters were needed to take care of their parents and support them not only owing to the current circumstances that a sense of responsibility for supporting their parents had switched from the eldest son to capable daughters or otherwise to share common responsibility for their parents but also owing to a low birthrate of 1.08 person(NSO, 2006) in the last year. Therefore, we need to enhance the perspective on equalitarianism values that both daughters and sons should take equally supporting responsibilities or duties with wakeful consciousness. Moreover, it should be taken into consideration that realistic beneficial devices for supporting both householders' parents and spouses' parents should be established in order to give certain financial motives to them.