by a 35-to-54 year old. Dual earner couples account for 26 percent of consumer spending, while single earner couples account for only nine-percent of consumer spending.
The increased importance of women to the labor market is not a phenomenon restricted to young and middle-aged women. Women are an increasingly important part of that part of the labor force aged 55 or older. In 1964, women made up 33 percent of this labor force. By 1992, this percentage had grown to 43 percent. The labor market experience and earnings of older women are substantial. On average, women reaching age 55 have worked over half of their adult lives. Market earnings for women aged 55 or older exceeded $119 billion in 1992.
Because older women are important to the labor market, and because their importance will almost certainly grow, it is necessary to understand the factors that shape the labor-force decisions and experiences of these individuals. Of primary importance is an understanding of the most fundamental labor-market d
...