Voices on child support
Elaine Sorensen, Liliana Sousa and Simon Schaner
Researchers, The Urban Institute (report prepared under contract for HHS ASPE and the Office of Child Support Enforcement)
The exact words were found in the primary source linked below (testimony, book page, report or article), at the page given.
"The reason we estimate that less than half of the arrears will be collected over 10 years is because so much of the arrears are owed by obligors with no or low reported income."
Source
Assessing Child Support Arrears in Nine Large States and the Nation, The Urban Institute for U.S. HHS, ASPE and OCSE (contract 233-02-0092), 2007-07-11, Executive summary p. 7 (PDF page 15 of 98) (report). Checked 2026-10-13.
Context
Using administrative data from nine large states matched to national wage records, the authors estimated that about 40 percent of arrears in seven study states would be collected over 10 years. The report recommends arrears-management strategies (realistic orders, interest policy review, compromise programs) and notes that some reported-low-income obligors may have unreported income or assets.
The passage it comes from
The reason we estimate that less than half of the arrears will be collected over 10 years is because so much of the arrears are owed by obligors with no or low reported income. It is very difficult to collect from obligors who have no or low reported income. Further, the amounts that tend to be collected from these obligors are relatively small compared to the amounts of arrears that are owed. Thus, this combination of traits -- no or low reported income and high arrears -- result in very low arrears payment rates.
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