My research interests are within social welfare policy, family demography, and education policy.
PEER REFEREED PUBLICATIONS
* denotes student coauthor
“The Effect of Income on the economic well-being of families with low incomes: Evidence from
the 2021 Child Tax Credit” (with Natasha Pilkauskas, Luke Shaefer, and Nicole Kovski*) Forthcoming, Journal of Population Economics
“The Intergenerational Transmission of Public Assistance: Evidence from the Earned Income Tax Credit” (with Natasha Pilkauskas and Nicardo McInnis*) Forthcoming, Journal of Human Resources (also NBER working paper 31429)
“The 2021 Child Tax Credit, housing affordability and the living arrangements of families” (with
Natasha Pilkauskas and Nicole Kovski*) 2024. Demography 61(4): 1069-1096.
“The Effects of the 2021 Child Tax Credit on Child Developmental Outcomes” (with Anna Aizer
and Adriana Lleras-Muney) 2023. ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science on the 2021 Child Tax Credit 70(1):172-189.
“What’s the Power of Certainty? Experimental Evidence on the Effective Design of Free Tuition Policies” (with Elizabeth Burland*, Susan Dynarski, Stephanie Owen*, and Shwetha Raghuraman*) 2023. AER: Insights 5(3): 293-310. (lead article) (Also as NBER working paper No. 29864)
“The 2021 Child Tax Credit: Who received it and how did they spend it?” (with Natasha
Pilkauskas) 2023. AEA: Papers and Proceedings 113: 413-419.
“Contextual Origins of Black-White Educational Disparities in the 21st Century” (with Peter Rich) 2023. Social Forces 101(4): 1918-1947.
“Who’s Minding the Kids? The Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Arrangements” (with Natasha Pilkauskas) 2023. ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 706(1): 37-64.
“The Effect of the Child Tax Credit on mental health among low-income parents during the
COVID-19 pandemic” (with Natasha Pilkauskas, Luke Shaefer, and Nicole Kovski*) 2023. Social Science and Medicine: Population Health 22.
“Abortion in the United States: The new legal landscape and its threats to health and
socioeconomic well-being” (with William Axinn, Paula Lantz, Kayte Spector-Bagdady, Michelle Moniz, and Okeoma Mmeje) 2023. Millbank Quarterly 101(S1): 283-301.
“Estimating the Net Fiscal Costs of a Child Tax Credit Expansion” (with Jacob Goldin and Elaine Maag) 2022. Tax Policy and the Economy Vol. 36. (Also as NBER working paper No. 29342.
“Who Benefits from the Child Tax Credit?” (with Jacob Goldin) 2022. National Tax Journal Tax Forum. 75(1): 123-147. (Also as NBER working paper No. 27940.) NBER working paper No. 27940. [non-gated version]
“The Earned Income Tax Credit, Family Complexity, and Children’s Living Arrangements” (with Natasha Pilkauskas) 2022. RSF: Journal of the Social Sciences 8(5): 143-165.
“The Effect of EITC Exposure in Childhood on Marriage and Early Childbearing” 2021. (with Leonard Lopoo) Demography 58(6): 2365-2394.
“Tots and teens: How does Child's Age Influence Maternal Labor Supply Responses to the Earned Income Tax Credit?" (with Natasha Pilkauskas) Journal of Labor Economics 39(4): 895-929.
“Exposure to the Earned Income Tax Credit in Early Childhood and Family Wealth” 2021. (with
Leonard Lopoo). RSF: Journal of the Social Sciences 7(3): 196-215.
“Closing the Gap: The Effect of Reducing Complexity and Uncertainty in College Pricing on the
Choices of Low-Income Students” 2021. (with Susan Dynarski, CJ Libassi, and Stephanie Owen*) American Economic Review 111(6): 1721–1756. (lead article) (also as NBER Working paper No. 25349) [working paper]
“The Effect of the EITC on Housing and Living Arrangements” (with Natasha Pilkauskas) Demography 56(4): 1303-1326. 2019.
“Timing is Money: Does Lump-Sum Payment of Tax Credits Induce High-Cost Borrowing?” (with Lauren Jones) Economic Inquiry 57(3): 1659-1674. 2019.
“The EITC and Self-Employment among Married Mothers” (with Katherine Lim*) Labour Economics 55: 98-115. 2018.
“Cross-National Comparisons of Union Stability in Cohabiting and Married Families with Children” (with Kelly Musick) Demography, 55(4): 1389-1421. 2018
“The Long-Term Impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Children’s Education and
Employment Outcomes” (with Jacob Bastian*) Journal of Labor Economics, 36(4): 1127-1163. 2018.
“The Impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Household Finances” (with Lauren Jones) Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 37(3): 521-545. 2018.
“Transitions from Sexual Relationships into Cohabitation and Beyond” (with Sharon Sassler and Zhenchao Qian) Demography, 55(2): 511-534. 2018.
“The Earned Income Tax Credit and Union Formation: The Impact of Spouse Earnings” Review of Economics of the Household, 16(2): 377-406. 2018.
“A Tale of Two Majors: Explaining the Gender Gap in STEM Employment among Computer
Science and Engineering Majors.” (with Sharon Sassler and Kristin Smith) Social Sciences 6(3) 2017.
“The Missing Women in Science, Math, Engineering, and Behavioral Science Jobs? Accounting
for Gender Differences in Entrance into STEM Occupations” (with Sharon Sassler, Jennifer Glass, and Yael Levitte) Social Science Research 63:192-208. 2017.
“The Gap within the Gap: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Income Differences in Student Achievement” (with Susan Dynarski) AERA Open 3(1): 1-18. 2017.
“Explaining the Gender Gap in Earnings in STEM: Do Changes in Sex Composition of a Field Matter?” (with Sharon Sassler) RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences 2(4): 194-215. 2016.
“Pathways to a Stable Marriage? Pregnancy and Childbearing among Cohabiting Couples in the
United States” (with Daniel Lichter, Richard Turner, and Sharon Sassler) Population Research and Policy Review 35(3): 377-399. 2016.
“The Progression of Sexual Relationships” (with Sharon Sassler and Jennifer Holland) Journal
of Marriage and Family 78(3): 587-597. 2016.
“Change in the Stability of Marital and Cohabiting Unions Following the Birth of a Child”
Demography (with Kelly Musick) 52(5): 1463-1485. 2015.
“Fertility Patterns of College Graduates by Field of Study, U.S. Women Born 1960-79” (with
Kelly Musick) Population Studies 68(3): 359-374. 2014.
“What’s So Special about STEM? A Comparison of Women’s Retention in STEM and
Professional Occupations” (with Jennifer Glass, Sharon Sassler, and Yael Levitte) Social Forces 92 (2): 723-756. 2013.
PAPERS UNDER REVIEW AND WORKING PAPERS
“Tax Credits and Child Outcomes: Lessons from the U.S., U.K., and Canada” in preparation for
a special issue of Fiscal Studies
“Does the EITC reduce caregiving for one’s parents?” (with Anna Wiersma Strauss* and Emily
Wiemers) under review
“More than Just Work: The Effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Job Quality.” (with Natasha Pilkauskas) under review
“The Effect of the 2021 Expanded Childless EITC on the Material Well-being of Young Adults”
(with Jiwan Lee*, Natasha Pilkauskas, and Christopher Wimer) under review
“Does the EITC Crowd out Financial Assistance from Parents?” (with Emily Wiemers and Anna Wiersma-Strauss*) under review
“Child tax benefits and labor supply: Evidence from California” (with Jacob Goldin, Tatiana Homonoff, Neel Lal*, Ithai Lurie, and Matthew Unrath)
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
“Experimental Evidence on the Effects of College Quality on Educational Attainment and Labor
Market Outcomes” (with Elizabeth Burland*, Susan Dynarski, Katherine Leu*, CJ Libassi*, Stephanie Owen, and Mary Quiroga*)
“The Effect of Subsidized Meals on Student Outcomes: Evidence from Medicaid Direct
Certification” (with Natasha Pilkauskas and Brittany Vasquez*)
“Understanding variation in take-up of an early, first-dollar, categorical need-based aid program”
(with Kelcie Gerson, Nathan Sotherland, Kevin Stange, Marissa Thompson)
FUNDED RESEARCH GRANTS
2024-2025 Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Natasha Pilkauskas (co-Principal Investigator) “The Effect of Subsidized Meals on Student Outcomes: Evidence from Medicaid Direct Certification” RIDGE Partnership ($75,000)
2022-2026 Kevin Stange (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), and Megan Tompkins-Stange (Co-Principal Investigator) “Early First-Dollar Categorical Need-Based Aid: A New Model for Making College Affordable?” Department of Education ($2,702,034)
2022-2023 Natasha Pilkauskas (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Luke Shaefer (Co-Principal Investigator) “The Effects of the Child Tax Credit on the Economic Wellbeing of Families with Low Incomes” Washington Center for Equitable Growth ($70,000)
2020-2021 Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Natasha Pilkauskas (Principal Investigator) "What kind of jobs? The Effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Job Quality" Russell Sage Foundation ($29,272)
2018-2020 Susan Dynarski (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator) “HAIL Scholars: Increasing Economic Diversity at a Flagship University” Smith Richardson Foundation ($149,841)
2017-2018 Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Natasha Pilkauskas (Principal Investigator) “Assessing the Effectiveness of Tax Credits in Early Childhood: Links Between the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Poverty, and Material Hardship.” Institute for Research on Poverty’s Extramural Small Grants Program: Policies and Programs to Reduce Child Poverty and Its Effects ($25,000)
2017-2018 Natasha Pilkauskas (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator) “Does the Earned Income Tax Credit Reduce Housing Instability?” University of Michigan Poverty Solutions Junior Faculty Grant ($20,000)
2017-2019 Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Peter Rich (Principal Investigator) “Trajectories of Student Disadvantage: Unpacking Free/Reduced Price Lunch Eligibility Across Childhood” CPC-CAPS Upstate Population Seed Grant Program ($16,000)
2016-2018 Susan Dynarski (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator). “The Persistence of Poverty: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Gaps in Educational Outcomes.” Russell Sage Foundation ($119,323).
2015-2018 Sharon Sassler (Principal Investigator), Jennifer Glass (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Consultant). “Diversifying the STEM Labor Force: Are Women and the Foreign-Born Complementary or Additive?” National Science Foundation ($199,673).
2012-2014 Sharon Sassler (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Consultant). “Race and Gender Variation in STEM Employment and Retention: A Cohort Analysis Using SESTAT Data.” National Science Foundation ($250,000).
* denotes student coauthor
“The Effect of Income on the economic well-being of families with low incomes: Evidence from
the 2021 Child Tax Credit” (with Natasha Pilkauskas, Luke Shaefer, and Nicole Kovski*) Forthcoming, Journal of Population Economics
“The Intergenerational Transmission of Public Assistance: Evidence from the Earned Income Tax Credit” (with Natasha Pilkauskas and Nicardo McInnis*) Forthcoming, Journal of Human Resources (also NBER working paper 31429)
“The 2021 Child Tax Credit, housing affordability and the living arrangements of families” (with
Natasha Pilkauskas and Nicole Kovski*) 2024. Demography 61(4): 1069-1096.
“The Effects of the 2021 Child Tax Credit on Child Developmental Outcomes” (with Anna Aizer
and Adriana Lleras-Muney) 2023. ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science on the 2021 Child Tax Credit 70(1):172-189.
“What’s the Power of Certainty? Experimental Evidence on the Effective Design of Free Tuition Policies” (with Elizabeth Burland*, Susan Dynarski, Stephanie Owen*, and Shwetha Raghuraman*) 2023. AER: Insights 5(3): 293-310. (lead article) (Also as NBER working paper No. 29864)
“The 2021 Child Tax Credit: Who received it and how did they spend it?” (with Natasha
Pilkauskas) 2023. AEA: Papers and Proceedings 113: 413-419.
“Contextual Origins of Black-White Educational Disparities in the 21st Century” (with Peter Rich) 2023. Social Forces 101(4): 1918-1947.
“Who’s Minding the Kids? The Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Arrangements” (with Natasha Pilkauskas) 2023. ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 706(1): 37-64.
“The Effect of the Child Tax Credit on mental health among low-income parents during the
COVID-19 pandemic” (with Natasha Pilkauskas, Luke Shaefer, and Nicole Kovski*) 2023. Social Science and Medicine: Population Health 22.
“Abortion in the United States: The new legal landscape and its threats to health and
socioeconomic well-being” (with William Axinn, Paula Lantz, Kayte Spector-Bagdady, Michelle Moniz, and Okeoma Mmeje) 2023. Millbank Quarterly 101(S1): 283-301.
“Estimating the Net Fiscal Costs of a Child Tax Credit Expansion” (with Jacob Goldin and Elaine Maag) 2022. Tax Policy and the Economy Vol. 36. (Also as NBER working paper No. 29342.
“Who Benefits from the Child Tax Credit?” (with Jacob Goldin) 2022. National Tax Journal Tax Forum. 75(1): 123-147. (Also as NBER working paper No. 27940.) NBER working paper No. 27940. [non-gated version]
“The Earned Income Tax Credit, Family Complexity, and Children’s Living Arrangements” (with Natasha Pilkauskas) 2022. RSF: Journal of the Social Sciences 8(5): 143-165.
“The Effect of EITC Exposure in Childhood on Marriage and Early Childbearing” 2021. (with Leonard Lopoo) Demography 58(6): 2365-2394.
“Tots and teens: How does Child's Age Influence Maternal Labor Supply Responses to the Earned Income Tax Credit?" (with Natasha Pilkauskas) Journal of Labor Economics 39(4): 895-929.
“Exposure to the Earned Income Tax Credit in Early Childhood and Family Wealth” 2021. (with
Leonard Lopoo). RSF: Journal of the Social Sciences 7(3): 196-215.
“Closing the Gap: The Effect of Reducing Complexity and Uncertainty in College Pricing on the
Choices of Low-Income Students” 2021. (with Susan Dynarski, CJ Libassi, and Stephanie Owen*) American Economic Review 111(6): 1721–1756. (lead article) (also as NBER Working paper No. 25349) [working paper]
“The Effect of the EITC on Housing and Living Arrangements” (with Natasha Pilkauskas) Demography 56(4): 1303-1326. 2019.
“Timing is Money: Does Lump-Sum Payment of Tax Credits Induce High-Cost Borrowing?” (with Lauren Jones) Economic Inquiry 57(3): 1659-1674. 2019.
“The EITC and Self-Employment among Married Mothers” (with Katherine Lim*) Labour Economics 55: 98-115. 2018.
“Cross-National Comparisons of Union Stability in Cohabiting and Married Families with Children” (with Kelly Musick) Demography, 55(4): 1389-1421. 2018
“The Long-Term Impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Children’s Education and
Employment Outcomes” (with Jacob Bastian*) Journal of Labor Economics, 36(4): 1127-1163. 2018.
“The Impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Household Finances” (with Lauren Jones) Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 37(3): 521-545. 2018.
“Transitions from Sexual Relationships into Cohabitation and Beyond” (with Sharon Sassler and Zhenchao Qian) Demography, 55(2): 511-534. 2018.
“The Earned Income Tax Credit and Union Formation: The Impact of Spouse Earnings” Review of Economics of the Household, 16(2): 377-406. 2018.
“A Tale of Two Majors: Explaining the Gender Gap in STEM Employment among Computer
Science and Engineering Majors.” (with Sharon Sassler and Kristin Smith) Social Sciences 6(3) 2017.
“The Missing Women in Science, Math, Engineering, and Behavioral Science Jobs? Accounting
for Gender Differences in Entrance into STEM Occupations” (with Sharon Sassler, Jennifer Glass, and Yael Levitte) Social Science Research 63:192-208. 2017.
“The Gap within the Gap: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Income Differences in Student Achievement” (with Susan Dynarski) AERA Open 3(1): 1-18. 2017.
“Explaining the Gender Gap in Earnings in STEM: Do Changes in Sex Composition of a Field Matter?” (with Sharon Sassler) RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences 2(4): 194-215. 2016.
“Pathways to a Stable Marriage? Pregnancy and Childbearing among Cohabiting Couples in the
United States” (with Daniel Lichter, Richard Turner, and Sharon Sassler) Population Research and Policy Review 35(3): 377-399. 2016.
“The Progression of Sexual Relationships” (with Sharon Sassler and Jennifer Holland) Journal
of Marriage and Family 78(3): 587-597. 2016.
“Change in the Stability of Marital and Cohabiting Unions Following the Birth of a Child”
Demography (with Kelly Musick) 52(5): 1463-1485. 2015.
“Fertility Patterns of College Graduates by Field of Study, U.S. Women Born 1960-79” (with
Kelly Musick) Population Studies 68(3): 359-374. 2014.
“What’s So Special about STEM? A Comparison of Women’s Retention in STEM and
Professional Occupations” (with Jennifer Glass, Sharon Sassler, and Yael Levitte) Social Forces 92 (2): 723-756. 2013.
PAPERS UNDER REVIEW AND WORKING PAPERS
“Tax Credits and Child Outcomes: Lessons from the U.S., U.K., and Canada” in preparation for
a special issue of Fiscal Studies
“Does the EITC reduce caregiving for one’s parents?” (with Anna Wiersma Strauss* and Emily
Wiemers) under review
“More than Just Work: The Effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Job Quality.” (with Natasha Pilkauskas) under review
“The Effect of the 2021 Expanded Childless EITC on the Material Well-being of Young Adults”
(with Jiwan Lee*, Natasha Pilkauskas, and Christopher Wimer) under review
“Does the EITC Crowd out Financial Assistance from Parents?” (with Emily Wiemers and Anna Wiersma-Strauss*) under review
“Child tax benefits and labor supply: Evidence from California” (with Jacob Goldin, Tatiana Homonoff, Neel Lal*, Ithai Lurie, and Matthew Unrath)
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
“Experimental Evidence on the Effects of College Quality on Educational Attainment and Labor
Market Outcomes” (with Elizabeth Burland*, Susan Dynarski, Katherine Leu*, CJ Libassi*, Stephanie Owen, and Mary Quiroga*)
“The Effect of Subsidized Meals on Student Outcomes: Evidence from Medicaid Direct
Certification” (with Natasha Pilkauskas and Brittany Vasquez*)
“Understanding variation in take-up of an early, first-dollar, categorical need-based aid program”
(with Kelcie Gerson, Nathan Sotherland, Kevin Stange, Marissa Thompson)
FUNDED RESEARCH GRANTS
2024-2025 Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Natasha Pilkauskas (co-Principal Investigator) “The Effect of Subsidized Meals on Student Outcomes: Evidence from Medicaid Direct Certification” RIDGE Partnership ($75,000)
2022-2026 Kevin Stange (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), and Megan Tompkins-Stange (Co-Principal Investigator) “Early First-Dollar Categorical Need-Based Aid: A New Model for Making College Affordable?” Department of Education ($2,702,034)
2022-2023 Natasha Pilkauskas (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Luke Shaefer (Co-Principal Investigator) “The Effects of the Child Tax Credit on the Economic Wellbeing of Families with Low Incomes” Washington Center for Equitable Growth ($70,000)
2020-2021 Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Natasha Pilkauskas (Principal Investigator) "What kind of jobs? The Effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Job Quality" Russell Sage Foundation ($29,272)
2018-2020 Susan Dynarski (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator) “HAIL Scholars: Increasing Economic Diversity at a Flagship University” Smith Richardson Foundation ($149,841)
2017-2018 Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Natasha Pilkauskas (Principal Investigator) “Assessing the Effectiveness of Tax Credits in Early Childhood: Links Between the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Poverty, and Material Hardship.” Institute for Research on Poverty’s Extramural Small Grants Program: Policies and Programs to Reduce Child Poverty and Its Effects ($25,000)
2017-2018 Natasha Pilkauskas (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator) “Does the Earned Income Tax Credit Reduce Housing Instability?” University of Michigan Poverty Solutions Junior Faculty Grant ($20,000)
2017-2019 Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator), Peter Rich (Principal Investigator) “Trajectories of Student Disadvantage: Unpacking Free/Reduced Price Lunch Eligibility Across Childhood” CPC-CAPS Upstate Population Seed Grant Program ($16,000)
2016-2018 Susan Dynarski (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Principal Investigator). “The Persistence of Poverty: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Gaps in Educational Outcomes.” Russell Sage Foundation ($119,323).
2015-2018 Sharon Sassler (Principal Investigator), Jennifer Glass (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Consultant). “Diversifying the STEM Labor Force: Are Women and the Foreign-Born Complementary or Additive?” National Science Foundation ($199,673).
2012-2014 Sharon Sassler (Principal Investigator), Katherine Michelmore (Consultant). “Race and Gender Variation in STEM Employment and Retention: A Cohort Analysis Using SESTAT Data.” National Science Foundation ($250,000).
