Basic Facts About Child Support

More than 17 million children and their families received  $24 billion in child support in 2006 through the help of the Child Support Enforcement Program. This federal-state partnership has been increasingly effective at collecting child support, now collecting $4.58 for every dollar spent. But the success of this program is in jeopardy.

Starting in October 2007, a federal funding cut will reduce state enforcement efforts by $6.7 billion over 10 years, which will deprive children of at least $11 billion in the support they are owed over the same decade.
Hurting millions of low-income children by cutting a program of proven effectiveness makes no sense.

Facts about the Child Support Program:

  • Click Here for basic facts about Child Support

  • The costs of the Child Support program have remained nearly steady while collections have increased dramatically

  • The Child Support program saves substantial dollars for federal and state governments

  • Moreover, Child support is 31% of family income of poor single mother families when received – the second largest source after earnings

    • You can help to make America's children the First Focus for federal lawmakers