Background: Some developing countries, such as China, population is aging rapidly, meanwhile, the average years of schooling for residents is constantly increasing. However, the question of whether adult children’s education has an effect on the longevity of older parents, remains inadequately studied. Methods: This paper uses China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) data to estimate the causal impact of adult children's education on their parents' longevity. Identification is achieved by using the truncated regression model and using historical education data as instrument variables for adult children’s education. Results: For every unit increase in adult children’s education, the father’s and mother’s longevity increased by 0.89 years and 0.75 years, respectively. Mechanism analysis shows that adult children's education has a significant positive impact on parents' emotional support, financial support and self-reported health. Further evidence shows that for every unit increase in adult children’s education, the father-in-law’s and mother-in-law’s longevity increased by 0.40 years and 0.46 years, respectively. Conclusions: It is conclusion that improving the level of adult children’s education can increase parents’ and parents-in-law’s longevity. Adult children’s education might contribute to the longevity of older parents by three channels that providing emotional, economic support and affecting parents’ health.

The populations of some developing countries are aging rapidly, while the average years of schooling for residents are also constantly increasing. However, the question of whether adult children’s education affects the longevity of their older parents remains understudied. This study used China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey data to estimate the causal impact of adult children’s education on their parents’ longevity using a truncated regression model. We found that, for every one-unit increase in adult children’s education, fathers’ and mothers’ longevity increases by 0.89 and 0.75 years, respectively. The mechanism analysis shows that adult children’s education significantly increases their provision of emotional and financial support to their parents, as well as their parents’ self-reported health. Further evidence shows that for every one-unit increase in adult children’s education, the longevity of their fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law also increases by 0.40 and 0.46 years, respectively. Improving the level of adult children’s education can thus increase parents’ and parents-in-law’s longevity via three channels: providing emotional and financial support and improving health. A culture in which parents value their children’s education should thus be promoted.