Restoring the Nuclear Family: A Policy Plan to Incentivize Marriage and Parenthood

The Big Picture

The American family is in crisis. Marriage rates have declined to historic lows, birth rates have fallen below replacement level, and single-parent households have become increasingly common. The nuclear family—a married mother and father raising children together—was once the cornerstone of American society, fostering economic stability, social cohesion, and intergenerational success. Today, however, a combination of economic pressures, cultural shifts, and policy missteps has weakened family structures, leading to negative consequences for children, communities, and the nation as a whole.

Research overwhelmingly shows that strong families produce better outcomes. Children raised in stable, two-parent households perform better academically, are less likely to engage in crime, have better mental health, and experience higher economic mobility. Meanwhile, societies with declining birth rates and fractured family structures face economic stagnation, higher dependency on government welfare, and weakening national identity.

Current U.S. policy does little to promote marriage or family formation, and in many cases, actively discourages it. Tax penalties for married couples, financial disincentives for having children, and economic obstacles such as rising housing costs and student loan debt have made it harder than ever for young Americans to get married and start families.

If the United States is to remain strong, it must take bold action to reverse these trends. A comprehensive pro-family policy agenda is needed to remove economic and cultural barriers to marriage and parenthood, ensuring that the nuclear family is once again the foundation of American life.

Operative Definitions

1. Nuclear Family – A family structure consisting of a married mother and father raising children together in the same household.
2. Marriage Penalty – A tax policy that results in married couples paying more in taxes than they would if they remained single.
3. Replacement-Level Fertility – The birth rate necessary for a population to maintain its size without relying on immigration (typically 2.1 children per woman).

Important Facts and Statistics

1. Marriage rates in the U.S. have declined from 16.4 per 1,000 people in 1946 to just 6.1 per 1,000 people in 2022(U.S. Census Bureau).
2. The U.S. fertility rate is now 1.66 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1 (CDC, 2023).
3. Over 40% of U.S. births occur outside of marriage, up from just 5% in 1960 (Pew Research Center).
4. Children raised in single-parent homes are five times more likely to live in poverty, twice as likely to struggle with mental health issues, and far more likely to engage in criminal behavior (Heritage Foundation, 2023).
5. The median age of first marriage has increased from 22 for men and 20 for women in 1960 to 30 for men and 28 for women in 2023 (National Center for Family & Marriage Research).
6. The cost of raising a child in the U.S. has risen to over $300,000 per child (adjusted for inflation), discouraging family formation (Brookings Institution, 2023).

Five-Point Policy Plan to Restore the Nuclear Family

1. Eliminate the Marriage Penalty in the Tax Code

The current U.S. tax system discourages marriage by imposing a higher tax burden on married couples than on single filers. This so-called “marriage penalty” disproportionately affects middle-class and dual-income families, creating a financial disincentive for marriage. To reverse this, the federal government should fully repeal the marriage penalty to ensure that married couples are not taxed at higher rates than if they remained single. Additionally, tax deductions should be expanded for married couples to make marriage economically beneficial rather than burdensome. A special tax relief program should also be introduced for first-time married couples to encourage young adults to marry earlier and build strong, financially stable households. By eliminating the tax disadvantages associated with marriage, more couples will be encouraged to marry and remain married, leading to greater family stability and long-term economic benefits.

2. Expand Child Tax Credits and Dependent Deductions

The cost of raising children has skyrocketed, making family formation financially burdensome for young couples. While the existing Child Tax Credit has provided some relief, it remains insufficient to address the full cost of raising a child in today’s economy. To encourage family growth, the Child Tax Credit should be increased to $5,000 per child for families earning under $250,000 per year, and the credit should be fully refundable to ensure that lower-income families benefit as much as middle-class households. Additionally, a one-time “New Family Bonus” of $10,000 should be granted to married couples upon the birth or adoption of their first child, helping to offset the upfront costs of childcare, medical expenses, and parental leave. These policies will make parenthood more affordable and encourage higher birth rates, strengthening the country’s demographic future.

3. Provide Housing Incentives for Married Couples

Soaring housing costs have become a major obstacle for young families, preventing many couples from purchasing homes and establishing stable households. To address this, a First-Time Married Homebuyer Tax Credit of $20,000 should be introduced to help newlywed couples purchase a home. In addition, federally backed mortgage programs should offer lower interest rates for married couples buying their first home, making it easier for young families to access homeownership. Local governments should also be encouraged to expand access to family-friendly housing developments, ensuring that affordable housing options are available for families with children. These initiatives will reduce financial barriers to homeownership and provide a more stable foundation for marriage and child-rearing.

4. Reform Welfare Programs to Support Marriage and Work

Current welfare policies often disincentivize marriage by reducing benefits for low-income couples who marry. Many government assistance programs prioritize single-parent households over two-parent families, making marriage economically disadvantageous for those receiving aid. To correct this, welfare programs should be restructured so that low-income couples do not lose financial support simply for getting married. Income thresholds for government benefits should be adjusted to ensure that marriage does not result in sudden financial penalties. Work requirements should also be introduced for able-bodied recipients, encouraging economic self-sufficiency and reducing long-term welfare dependency. By reforming these programs, the government can remove the financial disincentives that currently discourage marriage among low-income families.

5. Implement Pro-Family Workplace Policies

Workplace policies in the U.S. are often unfriendly to family life, making it difficult for parents to balance career responsibilities with raising children. To support working families, a federally mandated paid parental leave program of at least 12 weeks should be implemented for both mothers and fathers, ensuring that parents have adequate time to care for newborns without fear of job loss. Businesses that offer flexible work schedules for parents should receive tax incentives, encouraging companies to adopt family-friendly workplace policies. Additionally, access to affordable childcare options should be expanded through tax deductions for private childcare expenses, making it easier for working parents to find high-quality childcare. These measures will help parents remain in the workforce while also prioritizing family life, making parenthood a more feasible choice for working professionals.

Why This Initiative Is Important

The decline of the nuclear family threatens the long-term stability of American society. Without strong families, the nation faces weaker social cohesion, higher dependency on government welfare, and economic stagnation due to a shrinking workforce. Single-parent households are statistically more likely to experience poverty, and children raised without both parents are more prone to behavioral problems, lower educational attainment, and mental health struggles. A declining birth rate means an aging population with fewer workers to sustain economic growth, further weakening national prosperity. By removing economic barriers to marriage and parenthood, this policy plan aims to restore the nuclear family as the foundation of American society. Strengthening families is not just a social good; it is a national necessity.

Sources

Brookings Institution. (2023). The cost of raising a child in the U.S. surpasses $300,000. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Births: Provisional data for 2023. National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr72/nvsr72-1.pdf.

Heritage Foundation. (2023). The effects of family structure on child outcomes: A comprehensive study. Retrieved from https://www.heritage.org/family.

National Center for Family & Marriage Research. (2023). Marriage trends in the United States: Median age at first marriage continues to rise. Retrieved from https://www.bgsu.edu/ncfmr.

Pew Research Center. (2023). The rise of single-parent households and the decline of marriage. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2022). Marriage and divorce rates in America: Historical trends and recent changes. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2022/demo/p70-179.html.