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Unchanging child support orders in the face of unstable earnings

Author

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  • Yoonsook Ha

    (Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina)

  • Maria Cancian

    (Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Daniel R. Meyer

    (Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Abstract

The underlying theory behind child support guidelines implies that child support orders should change when the incomes of noncustodial parents change. This paper documents changes in noncustodial fathers' earnings over a five-year period and examines the relationship between the changes in earnings and modifications in child support orders. Using detailed longitudinal administrative data from Wisconsin, the authors examine the history of orders and earnings for fathers in couples who had their first child support ordered in 2000. A substantial proportion of fathers experience large changes in earnings, but relatively few of the associated child support orders are modified. Using discrete-time multinomial event history models that consider time-varying variables and control for censored observations, we find some evidence of changes in earnings being associated with changes in orders, all else equal, but the relationship is relatively weak and order changes are not proportional to earnings changes. The findings highlight the challenges and importance of developing policies that result in child support orders being more responsive to changes in fathers' incomes. © 2010 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.

Suggested Citation

  • Yoonsook Ha & Maria Cancian & Daniel R. Meyer, 2010. "Unchanging child support orders in the face of unstable earnings," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 799-820.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:29:y:2010:i:4:p:799-820
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.20534
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Maria Cancian & Daniel R. Meyer & Robert G. Wood, 2022. "Do Carrots Work Better than Sticks? Results from the National Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(2), pages 552-578, March.
    2. Ronald B. Mincy & Elia De la Cruz Toledo, 2014. "Unemployment and Child Support Compliance Through the Great Recession," Working Papers 14-01-ff, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    3. Cancian, Maria & Costanzo, Molly A., 2019. "Comparing income-shares and percentage-of-income child support guidelines," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 451-462.
    4. Maria Cancian & Daniel R. Meyer & Deborah Reed, 2010. "Promising Antipoverty Strategies for Families," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 2(3), pages 151-169, August.
    5. Hyunjoon Um, 2019. "The Role of Child Support Debt on the Development of Mental Health Problems among Nonresident Fathers," Working Papers wp19-05-ff, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    6. repec:mpr:mprres:6557 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Hodges, Leslie, 2020. "Do low-income parents who receive unemployment insurance pay more child support?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    8. Maria Cancian & Carolyn J. Heinrich & Yiyoon Chung, 2013. "Discouraging Disadvantaged Fathers’ Employment: An Unintended Consequence of Policies Designed to Support Families," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 758-784, September.
    9. Kim, Yeongmin & Cancian, Maria & Meyer, Daniel R., 2015. "Patterns of child support debt accumulation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 87-94.
    10. Maria Cancian & Daniel Meyer, 2014. "Testing the Economic Independence Hypothesis: The Effect of an Exogenous Increase in Child Support on Subsequent Marriage and Cohabitation," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(3), pages 857-880, June.

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