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Welfare and child support: Complements, not substitutes

Author

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  • Maria Cancian

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Daniel R. Meyer

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Emma Caspar

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Abstract

In most states, child support paid on behalf of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants is used to offset TANF and child support administrative expenditures; this policy primarily benefits taxpayers. In contrast, Wisconsin allowed most custodial parents to keep all support paid on their behalf. This policy, which treats welfare and child support as complements, was evaluated through an experimental design. This paper reports the key results of the experimental evaluation, using state administrative data to examine the effects on child support outcomes and governmental cost. We find that when custodial mothers keep all child support paid on their behalf, paternity establishment occurs more quickly, noncustodial fathers are more likely to pay support, and custodial families receive more support. These outcomes are achieved at no significant governmental cost. © 2008 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Cancian & Daniel R. Meyer & Emma Caspar, 2008. "Welfare and child support: Complements, not substitutes," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(2), pages 354-375.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:27:y:2008:i:2:p:354-375
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.20328
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wei-Yin Hu, 1999. "Child Support, Welfare Dependency, and Women's Labor Supply," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 34(1), pages 71-103.
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    5. Irwin Garfinkel & Sara Mclanahan & Daniel Meyer & Judith Seltzer, 1998. "Fathers under Fire: The Revolution in Child Support Enforcement in the USA (This CASEpaper is a summary of the book by the same title and authors, published by the Russel Sage Foundation, 1998)," CASE Papers case14, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
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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. Vogel, Lisa Klein, 2020. "Help me help you: Identifying and addressing barriers to child support compliance," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    3. Huang, Chien-Chung & Han, Ke-Qing, 2012. "Child support enforcement in the United States: Has policy made a difference?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 622-627.
    4. 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.
    5. Meyer, Daniel R. & Riser, Quentin H., 2023. "Slowing the ‘vicious cycle’: Reducing the interest rate on child support arrears," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    6. Jennifer Roff, 2010. "Welfare, Child Support, and Strategic Behavior: Do High Orders and Low Disregards Discourage Child Support Awards?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 45(1).
    7. repec:mpr:mprres:6557 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Leah Hamilton, 2016. "Incentives in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program: A Review of the Literature," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(2), pages 141-149, June.
    9. Maria Cancian & Daniel R. Meyer & Eunhee Han, 2011. "Child Support: Responsible Fatherhood and the Quid Pro Quo," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 635(1), pages 140-162, May.
    10. Guarin, Angela & Meyer, Daniel R., 2018. "Are low earnings of nonresidential fathers a barrier to their involvement with children?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 304-318.
    11. Cancian, Maria & Han, Eunhee & Noyes, Jennifer L., 2014. "From multiple program participation to disconnection: Changing trajectories of TANF and SNAP beneficiaries in Wisconsin," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 91-102.
    12. Yoonsook Ha & Maria Cancian & Daniel R. Meyer, 2018. "Child Support and Income Inequality," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(2), pages 147-158, June.
    13. Maria Cancian & Yiyoon Chung & Daniel R. Meyer, 2016. "Fathers’ Imprisonment and Mothers’ Multiple-Partner Fertility," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(6), pages 2045-2074, December.
    14. Maria Cancian, 2021. "APPAM Presidential Address: Reflections on Who Counts and Why it Matters," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(2), pages 324-347, March.
    15. Rachael A. Spencer & Emily D. Lemon & Kelli A. Komro & Melvin D. Livingston & Briana Woods-Jaeger, 2022. "Women’s Lived Experiences with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): How TANF Can Better Support Women’s Wellbeing and Reduce Intimate Partner Violence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-27, January.
    16. Samara Gunter, 2013. "Effects of child support pass-through and disregard policies on in-kind child support," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 193-209, June.
    17. Johanna Thomas & Shannon Collier-Tenison & December Maxwell & Cody Cheek, 2017. "TANF Participation and Intimate Partner Violence: Exploring Barriers to Self-Sufficiency," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 5(12), pages 20-31, December.
    18. Maria Cancian & Ron Haskins, 2014. "Changes in Family Composition," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 654(1), pages 31-47, July.
    19. Cancian, Maria & Cook, Steven T. & Seki, Mai & Wimer, Lynn, 2017. "Making parents pay: The unintended consequences of charging parents for foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 100-110.
    20. 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.
    21. 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.
    22. 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.
    23. Waring, Melody K. & Meyer, Daniel R., 2020. "Welfare, work, and single mothers: The Great Recession and income packaging strategies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    24. Kwon, Hyeok Chang & Meyer, Daniel R., 2011. "How do economic downturns affect welfare leavers? A comparison of two cohorts," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 588-597, May.

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