Child Support: An Overview of Census
Bureau Data on Recipients
Carmen Solomon-Fears
Specialist in Social Policy
December 16, 2011
The House Ways and Means Committee is making available this version of this Congressional Research Service
(CRS) report, with the cover date shown, for inclusion in its 2012 Green Book website. CRS works exclusively
for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to Committees and Members of both the
House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation.
Congressional Research Service
RS22499
CRS Report for Congress
Pr
epared for Members and Committees of Congress
Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
Summary
The national Census Bureau data show that in 2009, nearly 13.7 million parents had custody of
children under age 21 while the other parent lived elsewhere, and the aggregate amount of child
support received was $21.4 billion. In 2009, 82% of custodial parents were mothers. Of all
custodial parents, 52% were white, 25% were black, 19% were Hispanic, 18% were married, 34%
were divorced, 35% were never married, 15% did not have a high school diploma, 17% had at
least a bachelor’s degree, 50% worked full-time year-round, 28% had family income below
poverty, and 38% received some type of public assistance. In 2009, only 2.4 million (35%) of the
6.9 million custodial parents with child support orders actually received the full amount of child
support that was owed to them. The average yearly child support payment received by custodial
parents with payments was $5,248 for mothers and $4,202 for fathers. These full or partial
payments represented 17% of the custodial mothers’ total yearly income and 10% of the custodial
fathers’. Compared to 1993 Census data, less child support was received by custodial parents in
2009 ($22.8 billion in 1993 versus $21.4 billion in 2009; in 2009 dollars). However, a higher
percentage of those owed child support actually received all that they were due (36.9% in 1993
versus 41.2% in 2009).
Congressional Research Service
Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
Contents
Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1
Child Support Awarded and Received....................................................................................... 2
Demographic and Economic Characteristics of Custodial Parents Who Were Awarded
or Who Received Child Support Payments in 2009 ............................................................... 4
Tables
Table 1. Child Support Award and Receipt, 1993-2009................................................................... 2
Table 2. Demographic Characteristics of Custodial Parents by Child Support Award and
Receipt Status, 2009 ..................................................................................................................... 4
Congressional Research Service
Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
Introduction
The United States Census Bureau periodically collects national survey information on child
support. By interviewing a random sample of single-parent families, the Census Bureau is able to
generate an array of data that is useful in assessing the performance of noncustodial parents in
paying their child support. Although the Census Bureau has been collecting child support
information in a special Child Support Supplement to the April Current Population Survey (CPS)
biennially since 1978, the supplement survey has changed significantly over the years. According
to the Census Bureau, the most recent data, from 2009,1 are comparable only back to 1993.
During the early years of the survey, information was collected only from custodial mothers.
Beginning with the 1991 data, information was also collected from custodial fathers. This report
presents unsegmented data with respect to custodial mothers and fathers (i.e., custodial parents
data). The survey population includes all persons who have their own children under age 21
living with them, while the other parent lives outside the household.
The Child Support Enforcement (CSE) program was enacted in 1975 as a federal-state program
(Title IV-D of the Social Security Act) to help strengthen families by securing financial support
for children from their noncustodial parent on a consistent and continuing basis, and by helping
some families to remain self-sufficient and off public assistance by providing the requisite CSE
services. The CSE program is administered by the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE)
in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and funded by general revenues. All 50
states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands operate CSE programs
and are entitled to federal matching funds. The CSE program provides seven major services on
behalf of children: (1) parent location, (2) paternity establishment, (3) establishment of child
support orders, (4) review and modification of child support orders, (5) collection of child support
payments, (6) distribution of child support payments, and (7) establishment and enforcement of
medical child support. The CSE program is estimated to handle at least 50% of all child support
cases; the remaining cases are handled by private attorneys, collection agencies, or through
mutual agreements between the parents.
In FY2009, the CSE program collected $26.4 billion in child support payments (from
noncustodial parents) and served 15.8 million child support cases. The national Census Bureau
data show that the aggregate amount of child support received in 2009 was $21.4 billion,2 and
that 13.7 million parents had custody of children under age 21 while the other parent lived
elsewhere.3
1 U.S. Census Bureau, Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2009. Current Population Reports,
P60-240, by Timothy S. Grall, December 2011, http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/childsupport/cs09.html. To view
detailed tables, see same webpage and click on 2009 detailed tables icon.
2 It is not surprising that the amount of child support received based on Census bureau data is less the amount of child
support collected based on state CSE data because custodial parents responding to the Census survey are often unaware
of child support received by the state on their behalf if they are recipients of the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) program. In other words, the amount of child support received by TANF parents is probably
underreported because many states retain some or all of the child support collected on behalf of such families.
3 Note that the OCSE defines a CSE “case” as a noncustodial parent (mother, father, or putative/alleged father) who is
now or eventually may be obligated under law for the support of a child or children receiving services under the CSE
program. If the noncustodial parent owes support for two children by different women, that would be considered two
cases; if both children have the same mother, that would be considered one case. Thus, the CSE program caseload may
be larger than the national number of custodial parents potentially eligible for child support payments.
Congressional Research Service
1
Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
In 2009, 82% of custodial parents were mothers. Of all custodial parents, 52% were white, 25%
were black, 19% were Hispanic, 18% were married, 34% were divorced, 35% were never
married, 15% did not have a high school diploma, 17% had at least a bachelor’s degree, 50%
worked full-time year-round, 28% had family income below poverty, and 38% received some
type of public assistance (i.e., Medicaid, food stamps, public housing or rent subsidy, TANF, or
general assistance).
Child Support Awarded and Received
Table 1 summarizes several child support indicators from biennial survey data for selected years
from 1993 through 2009. The table shows that the likelihood of having a child support award,
being legally entitled to a child support payment, and actually receiving at least one child support
payment decreased over the 17-year period from 1993 through 2007. In contrast, the percentage
of noncustodial parents (owed child support) who received the full amount of the child support
that they were owed increased by about 12%, from 37% in 1993 to 41% in 2009.
Table 1. Child Support Award and Receipt, 1993-2009
Percent
Change
(1993-
1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2009)
All custodial
parents
13,690 13,715 13,949 13,529 13,383 13,951 13,605 13,743 13,672
-0.1
(numbers in
thousands)
Custodial
parents awarded
7,800 7,967 7,876 7,945 7,916 8,376 7,802 7,428 6,914 -11.4
child support
(thousands)
Percent awarded
57.0 58.1 56.5 58.7 59.1 60.0 57.3 54.0 50.6 -5.3
child support
Custodial
parents
due/owed child
6,688 6,958 7,018 6,791 6,924 7,256 6,809 6,375 5,897 -11.8
support
(numbers in
thousands)
Percent of those
owed who
75.8 75.7 75.3 73.7 73.9 76.5 77.2 76.3 70.8 -6.6
received any
payment
Percent of those
owed who
36.9 42.3 46.2 45.1 44.7 45.3 46.9 46.8 41.2 11.7
received full
payment
Average child
$5,234 $5,684 $5,527 $6,121 $6,111 $5,952 $6,135 $5,534 $5,955
13.8
support due
Average child
support received
$3,417 $3,745 $3,683 $3,593 $3,828 $4,081 $4,003 $3,470 $3,634
6.4
Congressional Research Service
2
Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
Percent
Change
(1993-
1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2009)
Aggregate Child Support Payments (in billions of dollars)
Child support
$34.9 $39.5 $38.8 $41.6 $42.3 $43.2 $41.8 $35.3 $35.1
0.6
due
Child support
$22.8 $26.0 $25.9 $24.5 $26.5 $29.6 $27.2 $22.1 $21.4
-6.1
received
Child support
$12.1 $13.6 $12.9 $17.1 $15.8 $13.5 $14.5 $13.1 $13.7 13.2
deficit
Percent of
amount due
65.3% 65.7% 66.7% 58.8% 62.8% 68.6% 65.3% 62.8% 61.0%
-6.6
actually received
Source: Table prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Census
Bureau, Current Population Survey, April 1994-2010. Al child support income amounts were adjusted to reflect
2009 dollars using the CPI-U-RS. Custodial parents include all persons living with their own children who are
under age 21 while the other parent lives somewhere else.
Note: The difference between the number of custodial parents who were awarded child support and those who
were due or owed child support is composed of persons who were no longer owed child support because their
child was (or children were) too old, the noncustodial parent had died, the family lived together for part of the
year before the survey interview, or some other reason. (To clarify, in 2009, 6.9 million custodial parents were
awarded child support, but only 5.9 million were due (or owed) child support. The 1.0 million-person difference
was composed of persons who were no longer due child support because of the reasons listed above.)
In 2009, about 51% of the nearly 13.7 million custodial parents (with children under age 21) were
awarded child support.4 Of those who were actually due child support payments (5.9 million),
about 71% of them received at least one payment, and 41% received all that they were owed. In
2009, only 2.4 million (18%) of the 13.7 million custodial parents eligible for child support
actually received the full amount of child support that was owed to them. In 2009, the average
child support payment amounted to about $3,629,5 10% higher than the average child support
payment in 1993 ($3,289).
In 2009, 61% of the $35 billion in aggregate child support due was actually paid. In 1993, 65% of
the $35 billion (adjusted for inflation, in 2009 dollars) in child support due was paid. During the
15-year period 1993 through 2009, after adjusting for inflation, aggregate child support due
fluctuated from a low of $34.9 billion in 1993 to a high of $43.2 billion in 2003. But, over the
4 Conversely, the reader should note that many custodial parents do not receive child support. In 2009, this included
49% of custodial parents who were not awarded child support and nearly 13% of custodial parents who did not receive
any child support payments even though they had been awarded child support. In 2009, this number amounted to
almost 8.5 million custodial parents. Some of the reasons given as to why there was not a legal child support obligation
included the following: the other parent provided what he or she could (34%); they did not feel the need to make it
legal (32%); the other parent could not afford to pay (29%); they did not want the other parent to pay (21%); the child
stayed with the other parent part of the time (18%); they could not locate the other parent (17%); they did not want to
have contact with the other parent (17%); and paternity was not legally established (8%).
5 This amount reflects total child support payments received divided by the number of parents who were owed/due
payments ($21,400,000,000/5,897,000=$3,634—total different because of rounding). Table 2 shows an average child
support payment of $5,135 for custodial parents who actually received at least one child support payment in 2009
($21,400,000,000/4,174,000=$5,127—total different because of rounding).
Congressional Research Service
3
Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
entire period, aggregate child support due increased less than 1%, total child support received
decreased by about 6%, and the amount left unpaid increased 13% (see Table 1).
Demographic and Economic Characteristics of Custodial Parents
Who Were Awarded or Who Received Child Support Payments
in 2009
While sex, race, marital status, and education are significant factors in predicting whether a
custodial parent will be issued a child support order, award rates tend to be significantly lower
than receipt rates. For example, although female custodial parents were 1.8 times as likely to be
awarded child support in 2009 as their male counterparts, among parents who were owed/due
child support, both had at least a 70% chance of actually receiving child support payments. (See
Table 2.) Moreover, in 2009, 45% of black custodial parents were awarded child support
compared to 56% of white custodial parents. Even so, 62% of black custodial parents who were
owed/due child support actually received child support payments and 73% of white custodial
parents who were owed child support actually received child support payments in 2009.
Similarly, while only 44% of never-married parents were awarded child support in 2009, 66% of
never-married parents who were owed child support actually received child support payments in
2009. Also, 42% of custodial parents without a high school diploma were awarded child support,
while 59% of custodial parents without a high school diploma who were owed child support
actually received child support.
Table 2. Demographic Characteristics of Custodial Parents by Child Support Award
and Receipt Status, 2009
(numbers in thousands)
Custodial Parents Who Received at
Least Some Child Support in 2009
%
Awarded
Total Due
% of Those
Average
Child
Child
Due Child
Child
Average
Total
Support
Support
Support
Support ($)
Income ($)
All custodial
13,672 50.6 5,897
70.8
5,135 31,991
parents
Sex
Male 2,435
30.4
619
72.9
4,202
42,288
Female 11,237
54.9
5,278
70.5 5,248
30,018
Race and Ethnicity
White (non-
7,127 55.8 3,410
72.8
5,680 34,961
Hispanic)
Black 3,439
44.6
1,295
62.1
3,061
28,368
Hispanic 2,662
44.4
1,004
72.7 5,797
25,554
Marital Status
Married 2,515
52.5
1,152
74.9 4,575
33,979
Divorced 4,589
59.3 2,388 72.9 6,495
37,187
Congressional Research Service
4
Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
Custodial Parents Who Received at
Least Some Child Support in 2009
%
Awarded
Total Due
% of Those
Average
Child
Child
Due Child
Child
Average
Total
Support
Support
Support
Support ($)
Income ($)
Separated 1,679
41.6 529 66.9 4,528
25,386
Never married
4,737
44.2
1,763
65.8
3,679
24,901
Educational Attainment
No high school
1,998 42.2
708
58.9
3,292 14,145
diploma
High school
4,555 46.7 1,796
72.9
4,572 24,853
graduate
Some college—no
3,260 54.7 1,554
70.1
5,448 27,257
degree
Associate’s degree
1,565
55.7
735
69.3
6,225
35,951
Bachelor’s degree
2,279 56.0 1,105
76.8
5,854a
55,458
or more
Economic Characteristics
Family income
below 2009
3,876 47.0 1,524
66.3
3,909 8,642
poverty level
Worked full-time,
6,772 52.3 3,078
71.8
4,712 44,634
year-round
Received public
5,149 48.5 2,093
67.9
4,313 15,412
assistance
Source: Table prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from the U.S. Census
Bureau, Current Population Survey, April 2010.
a Despite the apparent anomaly (i.e., persons with a B.A. degree received less child support, on average, than
persons with a A.A. degree), the average child support amount shown for custodial parents with an A.A degree
is not statistically different from the average child support amount shown for custodial parents with a B.A.
degree.
This pattern also held for the economic factors listed in Table 2—in that once a child support
obligation was awarded, the probability of actually receiving payments rose significantly for all
categories of custodial parents. In 2009, 47% of custodial parents with incomes below the poverty
level were awarded child support, and 66% of those owed/due payments actually received child
support payments. Table 2 also shows that 52% of custodial parents who worked full-time year-
round were awarded child support, while 72% of those owed received child support payments.
Similarly, about 49% of custodial parents who received public assistance were awarded child
support, while 68% of those who were owed child support payments actually received child
support payments.6
6 Public assistance program participation includes receiving at least one of the following: Medicaid, food stamps, public
housing or rent subsidy, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or general assistance.
Congressional Research Service
5
Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
Of the categories of custodial parents presented in Table 2, custodial parents who were divorced
followed by custodial parents who had at least a bachelor’s degree were the categories of parents
most likely to be awarded child support. In 2009, 59.3% of divorced custodial parents and 56.0%
of custodial parents with at least a bachelor’s degree were awarded child support. The table also
shows that custodial parents with at least a bachelor’s degree who were owed/due child support
were the category of parents most likely to receive child support payments in 2009. In 2009,
76.8% of custodial parents with at least a bachelor’s degree who were owed payments actually
received child support payments.
In 2009, the average yearly child support payment received by custodial parents with payments
was $5,135; $5,248 for mothers and $4,202 for fathers. These full or partial payments represented
16% of the custodial parent’s yearly income, 17% of the custodial mothers’ total yearly income,
and 10% of the custodial fathers’.
In 2009, for custodial parents with income below the poverty level, child support payments for
those who received them made up, on average, 45% of their yearly income. In 2009, child support
payments made up 23% of the yearly income of custodial parents without a high school diploma
who were owed child support and who actually received full or partial payments. In 2009, child
support represented 21% of the income of the 2.4 million custodial parents who received all of
the child support that they were owed.7
The Census Bureau data also include information on health insurance. In 2009, about 52% of the
6.9 million custodial parents with child support awards had awards that included health insurance.
The noncustodial parent provided the health insurance coverage in 44.1% of the awards with
health insurance provisos and in 11.7% of the awards without health insurance stipulations.
Moreover, the noncustodial parent provided health insurance coverage for 18% of the nearly 6.8
million custodial parents who did not have a child support award.8 Overall, 3.1 million
noncustodial parents provided health care for their children in 2009.9 This represented 22.8% of
the 13.7 million children under age 21 who were living with a custodial parent while their other
parent lived elsewhere.
7 See Table 6 at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/childsupport/chldsu09.pdf (p. 17 of 50).
8 8 U.S. Census Bureau, Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2009, Current Population Reports,
P60-240, by Timothy S. Grall, December 2011, http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/childsupport/cs09.html (p. 11) or
Table 8 of the detailed tables, http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/childsupport/chldsu09.pdf (p. 35 of 50).
9 In 2009, nearly 1.6 million noncustodial parents provided health care insurance in cases where it was stipulated in the
child support agreement, 0.3 million provided health care insurance in cases were it was not required by the agreement,
and 1.2 million provided health care insurance in cases where there was no child support agreement.
Congressional Research Service
6