Families Will Lose At Least $8.4 Billion in Uncollected Child Support if Congress Cuts Funds—and Could Lose Billions More

Publication Date: January 2006

Publisher: Center for Law and Social Policy

Author(s): Vicki Turetsky

Research Area: Social conditions

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

In February, Congress is expected to vote on the FY 2006 budget agreement. The current version would cut federal child support funds by more than 20 percent. Despite the claim that families would not be hurt, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that at least $8.4 billion in child support would go uncollected over the next 10 years if the incentive match is eliminated. This report uses Congressional Budget Office projections to show how much funding each state stands to lose and how much child support will go uncollected if the cuts are enacted.