Reducing child support debt and its consequences

Can forgiveness benefit all

Dados Bibliográficos

ID11680753
AutoresCarolyn J Heinrich (0000-0002-7731-9138, The University of Texas at Austin, autor correspondente), Brett C Burkhardt (0000-0001-8662-4778, Oregon State University), Hilary Shager (University of Wisconsin–Madison), Hilary M Shager
Ano2011
Volume30
Fascículo4
Páginas755-774
Data de publicação2011-06-27
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Policy Analysis and Management (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0276-8739 • E-ISSN: 1520-6688
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/pam.20599
OpenAlexW2153005857
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas18
Referências citadas24

As child support debt owed nationally persists at enormous levels, both noncustodial parents and the custodial families who are not receiving support suffer significant hardships, and states are forced to expend greater resources on collection and enforcement efforts. This paper presents findings from an evaluation of a demonstration program developed to help noncustodial parents with large child support debts reduce their debt while simultaneously increasing child support paid to families, through gradual forgiveness of arrears conditional on payment of current child support obligations. The evaluation employs a randomized experimental design, nonexperimental analyses using propensity score matching and multilevel modeling techniques, and focus groups and follow‐up interviews. Results show a pattern of effects that suggests individuals responded to the program as intended. State‐ and family‐owed child support debt balances decreased for program participants, and participants paid more toward their child support obligations and arrears and made more frequent child support payments. The study findings suggest promise for the effectiveness of this program model in reducing child support debt burdens and in increasing families' receipt of child support, and they also point to ways in which the implementation of the program might be improved. © 2011 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

Actuarial science · Arrears · Business · Child support · Debt · Demographic economics · Economics · Enforcement · Forgiveness · Payment · Political science · Propensity score matching · Public economics · Receipt · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology · Accounting · Finance