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Child Support
Child Support
Many children in the United States have a parent who lives outside their household. Child support can be an important income source for these children and their custodial parents who receive these payments, as well as a substantial proportion of the income or wealth of the parents who pay the support.
The Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS) Child Support Supplement (CSS) collects detailed information about child support agreements and awards, including both required payments and amounts actually received, as well as data about the socioeconomic characteristics of custodial parents and their families. Additional data about child support amounts paid and received are also collected in the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).
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PublicationLiving Arrangements of Children: 2019This report examines the living arrangements of children using data from the 2008 and 2018 ACS, 2007 and 2019 CPS ASEC and 2014 SIPP.
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PublicationThe Regular Receipt of Child Support: 2017This brief discusses the financial child support received by parents who care for children whose other parent or parents live outside the household.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2017This report uses the 1994-2018 Current Population Survey Child Support Supplements to examine characteristics of custodial parents and their children.
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PublicationChild Support for Custodial Mothers and Fathers: 1997This report presents data on parents with children whose other parent is not living with the family.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2013This report focuses on the child support income that custodial parents reported receiving from noncustodial parents living elsewhere and other types of support.
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PublicationSupport Providers: 2002This report looks at monetary support provided for people living in other households, particularly children under 21.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1983 (Supplemental Report)This report presents information on both the award and actual receipt of child support to women on behalf of their children & on alimony for their own support.
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PublicationHouseholds, Families, and Children: A 30-Year PerspectiveThis report briefly analyzes long-term demographic, social, and economic trends for households, families, and children.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1987This report presents information on child support for women with children present and alimony or maintenance payments agreed to or awarded to women.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Suport: 2001This report presents data on parents with children whose other parent is not living with the family.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 1999In the spring of 2000, an estimated 13.5 million parents had custody of 21.7 million children under 21 years of age whose other parent lived somewhere else.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1985 (Advance Report)This report covers data on the receipt by women of support payments following divorce & separation and of support payments for children of never-married women.
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PublicationHow We're Changing; Demographic State of the Nation: 1997This report provides a two-color illustrated overview giving data on selected topics.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2009This report focuses on the child support income that custodial parents reported receiving from noncustodial parents living elsewhere and other types of support.
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PublicationDivorce, Child Custody, and Child SupportThis report provides statistics on divorce and changes in living arrangements of children, in particular, the children of divorced parents
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1983This report presents information on the receipt by women of support payments following divorce and separation.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2011This report focuses on the child support income that custodial parents reported receiving from noncustodial parents living elsewhere and other types of support.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1981This report presents information on child support for women with children present and alimony or maintenance payments agreed to or awarded to women.
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PublicationWho Receives Child Support?This brief looks at mothers who receive child support and for the first time, we also present information on fathers who receive it.
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PublicationChild Support for Custodial Mothers and Fathers: 1991This report provides information on the receipt of child support payments in 1991 by parents living with their own children whose other parents are absent.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2007This report focuses on the child support income that custodial parents reported receiving from noncustodial parents living elsewhere and other types of support.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2003This report focuses on the child support income that custodial parents reported receiving from noncustodial parents living in other households.
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PublicationHow We're Changing, The Demographic State of the Nation: 1996This report provides a two-color illustrated overview giving data on selected topics.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1978 (Advance Report)This report presents information on child support for women with children present and alimony or maintenance payments.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1981 (Advance Report)This report presents information on child support for women with children present and alimony or maintenance payments agreed to or awarded to women.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2005This report focuses on the child support income that custodial parents reported receiving from noncustodial parents living elsewhere.
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PublicationChild Support for Custodial Mothers and Fathers: 1995This report presents data on parents who have custody of children whose other parent is absent from the home.
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PublicationSupport Providers: 2013This report uses the 2014 Survey of Income and Program Participation to examine support payments people make to others living outside their household.
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PublicationCustodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2015This report focuses on the child support income that custodial parents reported receiving from noncustodial parents living elsewhere and other types of support.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1989This report presents data on child support for women with children under age 21 whose father was absent from the household and on alimony and other settlements.
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PublicationWho’s Supporting the Kids?This brief examines the characteristics of women receiving child support payments, the amount they received, & visitation rights & residence of absent fathers.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1985 (Supplemental Report)This report presents information on child support for women with children present and alimony or maintenance payments agreed to or awarded to women.
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PublicationChild Support and Alimony: 1978This report presents information on child support for women with children present and alimony or maintenance payments.
Other Subtopics Within 'Families and Living Arrangements'
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Child CareInformation collected on child care has evolved over the years to include comprehensive data on child care use, cost, and receipt of government assistance.
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Child Well-BeingInformation collected on child wellbeing includes data on school experiences, participation in extracurricular activities and parental involvement.
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ChildrenAll Census Bureau demographic surveys collect information about children. The information collected varies.
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Families and HouseholdsAll Census Bureau demographic surveys collect information about the residents of each housing unit and how they are related.
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FertilityInformation about the fertility of American women both for the nation as a whole as well as for individual states and lower level geography.
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Grandparents and GrandchildrenHouseholds include a variety of living arrangements, one being an increase in grandparents living with grandchildren.
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Marriage and DivorceThe U.S. Census Bureau provides the current marital status of persons, by age, sex, and race and the estimated median age at first marriage for men and women.
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Same-Sex CouplesData about same-sex couples, including married and unmarried couples.
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Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (SOGI)U.S. Census Bureau data on these topics can help measure the growing diverse, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) populations.
Page Last Revised - May 2, 2024
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