Number: RS22499
Title: Child Support: An Overview of Census Bureau Data on Recipients
Authors: Carmen Solomon-Fears, Domestic Social Policy Division 
Abstract: The national Census Bureau data show that in 2005, 13.6 million parents had custody of children under age 21 while the other parent lived elsewhere, and the aggregate amount of child support received was $24.8 billion. In 2005, 84% of custodial parents were mothers. Of all custodial parents, 56% were white, 25% were black, 22% were married, 35% were divorced, 30% were never married, 15% did not have a high school diploma, 15% had at least a bachelor's degree, 54% worked full-time year-round, 25% had family income below poverty, and 31% received some type of public assistance. In 2005, only 3.2 million (41%) of the 7.8 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 $4,719 for mothers and $4,691 for fathers. These full or partial payments represented 17% of the custodial mothers' total yearly income and 11% of the custodial fathers'. Compared to 1993 Census data, more child support was received by custodial parents in 2005, and a higher percentage of those owed child support actually received all that they were due.
Pages: 6
Date: October 15, 2007