Money, Birth, Gender: Explaining Unequal Earnings Trajectories following Parenthood

Using population register data from the Netherlands, we analyze child penalty for new parents in three groups of couples: different-sex and female same-sex couples with a biological an adopted child. With longitudinal design, follow parents' earnings two years before to eight after arrival use event study models estimate effects transition parenthood on trajectories. Comparing different allows us test hypotheses related types within-couple differences that are difficult disentangle when studying only heterosexual parents: relative earnings, childbearing, gender. Our results offer strong support gender as main driver divergent penalties. The their partners is more consequential mothers' trajectories than childbearing or pre-parenthood couple.