Well, They Don’t Come with Coupons….
We’d all better be careful with these numbers. In the wrong hands they could lead to an addional tax slapped on castor or mineral oil in December.
It’s become more popular to have a holiday baby, say statistics. Experts predict that more babies will be born on December 28th than on any other single day of 2006. The reason for more inductions and elective c-sections on that day is not only to avoid an unfortunate birth day, understaffed hospitals and to ensure there are family members around to help.
There are also good financial reasons.
American couples whose babies are born on January first 2007, rather than December 31 2006, may end up as much as $1000 poorer, reported the International Herald Tribune.
The article outlines research by two economists, Amitabh Chandra from Harvard and Stacy Dickert-Conlin of Michigan State University who say that the rising popularity of inductions and elective c-sections in December may be linked to taxes.
- They found that people who stood to gain the most from the tax breaks were also the ones who gave birth in late December most frequently. When the gains were similar, high-income parents — who, presumably, are more likely to be paying for tax advice — produced more December babies than other parents.
The child tax credit, now worth $500, made its debut in 1998, and the earned-income tax credit, an anti- poverty policy that’s more generous to large families than small ones, became much larger in the ’90s. The personal exemption, for its part, has risen along with inflation, reaching $3,300 this year.
The busiest time in American maternity wards used to be in September.
Babies don’t come with coupons and they are expensive, so if an early-January due date can be brought forward, so be it. Especially since a child born on January first has to wait an extra year to start school and that will cost a small fortune in extra day cares costs….Is anyone surprised that Thrify Mommy’s Kelly was born in December?
Tags: baby-tax-break, birth-induction, elective-c-sectionRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Finances, Labor & Delivery
5 opinions for Well, They Don’t Come with Coupons….
Amélie
Dec 21, 2006 at 5:35 am
My friends’ daughter was born on the 28th of December last year. Looks like she started a trend ;)
I always thought April/May was the busy season for babies. I had a lot of friends at schoool with birthdays around that time, and it would make sense that conception is more likely in the summer, when people are more relaxed, healthier and eating more fresh foods. And having more time for sex when they’re on holidays!
Michele
Dec 21, 2006 at 6:17 am
The cut-off for entering schools depends on the state. In some states, such as Massachussetts, it’s September 1.
kellys
Dec 21, 2006 at 6:44 am
It was perfect for me. That’s for sure.
Love the new site!
Kate
Dec 21, 2006 at 7:40 am
Kelly- Thought you’d like that.
Michele- Thanks for the tip.
Amelie- I think spring is a perfect time for babies too. I’m a taurus.
Karen
Dec 21, 2006 at 12:54 pm
I was born in September, so I was able to start school at a very young age. I think I was 4. I started college at 17. It definitely saved my parents on child care. Both of my kids were born in July, so they’re starting school on time too.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: