• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.24 no.1 s.79
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• pp.253-269
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• 2006

This study examined the economic structure of male one-person households, and investigated how it differed by male's age and marital status. Specifically household incomes, expenditure patterns, assets, debts, and other demographic variables were compared by age and marital status. From the 2000 National Survey of Household Income and Expenditure conducted by Korea National Statistical Office(KNSO), 1,389 male one-person households were selected. The findings of this study were as follows: First, the economic status of male one-person households was unstable. They were more likely to depend on labor incomes and transfer incomes, and had less property incomes and total assets. Their average propensity to consumption was higher than that of general households. Second, the economic structure of male one-person households showed large differ+useholders in age 50s allocated $48\%$ of household expenditure to the non- consumption categories, especially child or (ex)spouse support payments. The economic status of householders in age 60s and over was inferior to those of the other groups. Third, there were considerable differences in the economic status of male householders who had different marital status. Divorced and separated males had higher incomes and expenditures, but assigned large portion of their incomes to the non-consumption categories. Widowers' level of economic living, such as incomes, expenditures, and assets, was the worst among male one-person households.