Why Does Child Support Go Unpaid?

The child support collection process in the United States has largely failed. According to a 2020 Census Bureau report, only 62 percent of the more than $30 billion in authorized support payments for 2017 were actually received. While nearly 70 percent of custodial parents received at least some payments, less than half got their full amounts. Furthermore, average amounts received declined between 1993 and 2017, despite the inflation that occurred over that period. These observations raise the question of what factors may have led to the disappointing outcomes. An important concern for an effective child support administration is the balance between award amounts and the monetary costs of raising children. When award amounts exceed these costs, the resulting incentives turn child custody into a financial asset funded by the difference between award and cost amounts. In such circumstances, unfortunate consequences follow. Contesting parties can gain monetary benefits from enhanced custodial positions and so make greater efforts to secure improved outcomes whatever the interests of the children.