Too Much, Too Little, or Just Right? Recent Changes to State Child Support Guidelines for Low-Income Noncustodial Parents

Hodges, Leslie; Vogel, Lisa Klein

doi:10.1007/s42972-020-00016-9

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Another difficult issue is the appropriate order amount when the noncustodial parent has low income, especially if the custodial parent also has low income. Possible approaches include allowing a noncustodial parent to keep a certain amount of income for their own living before child support is assessed or using a different formula for low-income cases (Hodges and Vogel 2020). As we will see below, another option is having a public guarantee of a minimum amount of support for those whose ex-partners have difficulty paying.…”

Section: Child Support Obligationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Support Policy across High-Income Countries: Similar Problems, Different Approaches

Hakovirta¹,

Cuesta²,

Haapanen³

et al. 2022

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Scie

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We provide an overview of child support policy in high-income countries, highlighting differences in institutional arrangements, the amount of child support due, and the amount of child support received. We show that the United States expects high levels of child support from nonresident parents when compared to other countries, that noncompliance is a problem across countries, and that most European countries deal with nonpayment of child support by providing guarantees of public support for children and resident parents. The guarantee schemes vary in terms of eligibility and generosity. Throughout, we find that child support policy approaches differ across countries. A key policy implication from this review is that the United States may be expecting too much child support from nonresident parents and that it could consider guaranteeing a modest amount of public support to single-parent households.

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Section: Child Support Obligationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Support Policy across High-Income Countries: Similar Problems, Different Approaches

Hakovirta¹,

Cuesta²,

Haapanen³

et al. 2022

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Scie

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…While there are complications 1 even in the most straightforward cases of divorcing couples with parents in the formal labor market, there is evidence that the guidelines are frequently used (Hodges & Cook, 2019). Guidelines vary with income (i.e., lower-income nonresident parents are expected to provide less child support, just as they would provide less income were the family living together), and 45 states make special provisions for low-income nonresident parents (Hodges & Vogel, 2021). These efforts to protect lowincome nonresident parents from overly onerous obligations have led to many child support orders requiring very small amounts-e.g., less than $500 per year-or nothing at all (Grall, 2020;Sorenson, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child support policy: Areas of emerging agreement and ongoing debate

Cancian,

Doar

2024

J Policy Anal Manage

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“It’s Not a Cookie-Cutter Scenario Anymore”: the COVID-19 Pandemic and Transitioning to Virtual Work

Vogel

Yeo

2022

J of Pol Practice & Research

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The COVID-19 pandemic forced human services agencies, including child support agencies, to find ways to continue providing services. Many agencies considered changes to where and how staff work, in addition to new modalities for service provision. This paper explores how five Wisconsin child support agencies approached staff work arrangements and service delivery during the pandemic; challenges and opportunities encountered; changes agencies expect to persist; and implications for policy and practice. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with child support directors and staff in five Wisconsin counties between January and February, 2021. Data were analyzed thematically. Despite limited information and little prior experience working virtually, county agencies rapidly adapted staff work arrangements and service delivery methods to facilitate service continuity. Strategies used by agencies varied across counties, given local directives, resources, and constraints, and as the pandemic evolved. Despite variation, counties contended with a similar array of decision points, including changes to physical spaces, office closures, and staff work locations. Agencies also implemented creative strategies to connect with customers and keep services accessible. Findings suggest that innovative combinations of traditional and newer methods can help agencies maximize reach. Further, the infrastructure and experiences counties gained by working in new ways offer increased flexibility and improved capacity for service continuity in the future. Policymakers could support these efforts by providing guidance related to confidentiality and data security; supporting and facilitating crisis contingency planning; coordinating information exchanges; procuring technology and resources; and advocating for infrastructure, particularly broadband internet.

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Too Much, Too Little, or Just Right? Recent Changes to State Child Support Guidelines for Low-Income Noncustodial Parents

Cited by 5 publications

References 34 publications

Child Support Policy across High-Income Countries: Similar Problems, Different Approaches

Child Support Policy across High-Income Countries: Similar Problems, Different Approaches

Child support policy: Areas of emerging agreement and ongoing debate

“It’s Not a Cookie-Cutter Scenario Anymore”: the COVID-19 Pandemic and Transitioning to Virtual Work

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