4 ms·

$200 billion is only about $30K per woman (about 6 million women in the right age bracket)--that's chump change. No woman who isn't already planning on having

by bsder 2y ago

$200 billion is only about $30K per woman (about 6 million women in the right age bracket)--that's chump change. No woman who isn't already planning on having a child is going to change her mind over a single $30K payout when it's obvious that raising a child is in the multiple $100K range. It's going to take multiple $million+ per woman to change the calculation. (And this doesn't even take into account taking care of elderly. Marriage tends to be a prerequisite for children and women often wind up being the caretakers for both sets of elderly parents. And that often never ends. Yet more money required.)

neom 2y ago
My wife and I were saying the other day if the korean gov wanted to pay us to start popping out kids, it would be starting at $1.5MM per kid they would have to pay us. Heck we'd have 10 then!
iJohnDoe 2y ago
I generally agree with you. However, I would look at the $30k as a get started fund. Stroller, baby clothes, diapers, crib, etc. I think it would go a long ways if it was spent wisely. This is something the US should do. US would probably tax the $30k though.
- hn_throwaway_99 2y ago
  It still doesn't really change the equation though. For people that want to have children, it's a nice bonus. But for people that don't want to have kids, it isn't changing anyone's mind, so if the purpose is actually to raise the birth rate, it's a failure on its face.
  - votepaunchy 2y ago
    Might nudge families to have another child, though. And of course the US pays $36,000 per child (tax free) via the child tax credit.
charlie90 2y ago
A good start would be tying retirement benefits to the # of kids you raised. If you dont have kids, you dont get social security and have higher taxes on 401k withdrawals.
- bsder 2y ago
  That's a really good way to get your young people to leave the country. People will rightfully oppose attempts to penalize them into having children.

by bsder 2y ago

neom 2y ago

My wife and I were saying the other day if the korean gov wanted to pay us to start popping out kids, it would be starting at $1.5MM per kid they would have to pay us. Heck we'd have 10 then!

iJohnDoe 2y ago

I generally agree with you. However, I would look at the $30k as a get started fund. Stroller, baby clothes, diapers, crib, etc. I think it would go a long ways if it was spent wisely. This is something the US should do. US would probably tax the $30k though.

hn_throwaway_99 2y ago
It still doesn't really change the equation though. For people that want to have children, it's a nice bonus. But for people that don't want to have kids, it isn't changing anyone's mind, so if the purpose is actually to raise the birth rate, it's a failure on its face.
- votepaunchy 2y ago
  Might nudge families to have another child, though. And of course the US pays $36,000 per child (tax free) via the child tax credit.

charlie90 2y ago

A good start would be tying retirement benefits to the # of kids you raised. If you dont have kids, you dont get social security and have higher taxes on 401k withdrawals.

bsder 2y ago
That's a really good way to get your young people to leave the country. People will rightfully oppose attempts to penalize them into having children.