Voices on child support
Daniel R. Meyer and Maria Cancian
Principal Investigators, W-2 Child Support Demonstration Evaluation, Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The exact words were found in the primary source linked below (testimony, book page, report or article), at the page given.
"Given the time-limited nature of cash assistance, the benefits to government of retaining child support are also quite limited. In contrast, the benefits to children of establishing paternity and setting a pattern of child support payments are potentially more enduring."
Source
W-2 Child Support Demonstration Evaluation, Phase 1: Final Report, Volume I (Executive Summary), Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2001-04, p. ix (PDF page 9 of 121) (report). Checked 2026-10-13.
Context
Findings from Wisconsin's random-assignment test of passing all child support through to W-2 (welfare) families. The authors found modest increases in fathers paying and no difference in overall government costs, and concluded a full pass-through is "worthy of serious consideration by other states"; they also acknowledge the no-pass-through policy generates short-run revenue.
The passage it comes from
In most states TANF participants do not receive any of the child support paid on behalf of their children. This no-pass-through policy generates revenue to offset public assistance and child support enforcement costs in the short run. Our results suggest, however, that this policy has potentially detrimental effects on developing child support as a long-run income source for single mothers and their children. Given the time-limited nature of cash assistance, the benefits to government of retaining child support are also quite limited. In contrast, the benefits to children of establishing paternity and setting a pattern of child support payments are potentially more enduring. Especially for this reason, a full pass-through seems to be a policy worthy of serious consideration by other states.
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