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Child Support Policy across High-Income Countries: Similar Problems, Different Approaches

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Listed:
  • Mia Hakovirta
  • Laura Cuesta
  • Mari Haapanen
  • Daniel R. Meyer

Abstract

We provide an overview of child support policy in high-income countries, highlighting differences in institutional arrangements, the amount of child support due, and the amount of child support received. We show that the United States expects high levels of child support from nonresident parents when compared to other countries, that noncompliance is a problem across countries, and that most European countries deal with nonpayment of child support by providing guarantees of public support for children and resident parents. The guarantee schemes vary in terms of eligibility and generosity. Throughout, we find that child support policy approaches differ across countries. A key policy implication from this review is that the United States may be expecting too much child support from nonresident parents and that it could consider guaranteeing a modest amount of public support to single-parent households.

Suggested Citation

  • Mia Hakovirta & Laura Cuesta & Mari Haapanen & Daniel R. Meyer, 2022. "Child Support Policy across High-Income Countries: Similar Problems, Different Approaches," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 702(1), pages 97-111, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:702:y:2022:i:1:p:97-111
    DOI: 10.1177/00027162221119959
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    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. Cuesta, Laura & Meyer, Daniel R., 2018. "Child poverty and child support policy: A comparative analysis of Colombia and the United States," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 143-153.
    3. Lenna Nepomnyaschy & Margaret Thomas & Alex Haralampoudis & Huiying Jin, 2022. "Nonresident Fathers and the Economic Precarity of Their Children," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 702(1), pages 78-96, July.
    4. Meyer, Daniel R. & Skinner, Christine & Davidson, Jacqueline, 2011. "Complex families and equality in child support obligations: A comparative policy analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 1804-1812, October.
    5. Chung, Yiyoon & Kim, Yeongmin, 2019. "How cultural and policy contexts interact with child support policy: A case study of child support receipt in Korea and the United States," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 237-249.
    6. Hakovirta, Mia & Meyer, Daniel R. & Skinner, Christine, 2019. "Does paying child support impoverish fathers in the United States, Finland, and the United Kingdom?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    7. Laura Cuesta & Mia Hakovirta & Merita Jokela, 2018. "The Antipoverty Effectiveness of Child Support: Empirical Evidence for Latin American Countries," LIS Working papers 748, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    8. Meyer, Daniel R. & Cancian, Maria & Waring, Melody K., 2020. "Use of child support enforcement actions and their relationship to payments," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    9. Marah A. Curtis & Emily J. Warren, 2016. "Child Support Receipt, Mobility, and Housing Quality," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(6), pages 672-693, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Angela Guarin & Merita Mesi islehto & Mia Hakovirta & Molly Costanzo, 2023. "Single Mothers and Child Support in Extended-Family Households: an International Perspective," LIS Working papers 868, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    2. Haapanen, Mari & Riser, Quentin H. & Bartfeld, Judith & Berger, Lawrence M. & Hakovirta, Mia & Meyer, Daniel R. & Miettinen, Anneli, 2024. "Sharing care and sharing costs? Child support and child-related expense-sharing post-separation in Finland and Wisconsin, US," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).

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