Here’s an innovative way to reduce the federal deficit. Make sure you and everyone you know pays their child support on time. It sounds crazy, but listen to this.
I was looking at some of the accounts that the OMB labels as “Other income security”. One of the accounts that stuck out was “Payments to States for Child Support Enforcement and Family Support Programs” which cost 4.35 billion dollars in 2009.
Just by reading the title you can probably guess one of the main functions of this account. It makes sure that people pay their child support. I was surprised by how much the fed spends to enforce child support payments. However, what about that “and Family Support Programs?”. How much of that 4.35 billion dollars is spent on Child Support Enforcement, and how much is spent on “Family Support Programs”?
Fortunately, the Administration for Children and families has a breakdown of that. Page 8 of the Congressional Justification of the Child Support Enforcement/Family Support Programs(pdf) has the info.
There are 2 other programs that the account covers that combined are a legacy Social Security program to territories(33$ million) and a “Repatriation” program that covers sick or disabled Americans coming back to America (1$ million). The rest of the outlays go towards Child Support Enforcement. The federal government spends 4.3 billion dollars making sure people pay their child support. With that money…
CSE agencies locate non-custodial parents, establish paternity when necessary, and establish and enforce orders for support.
So, to all you dads (and moms!) out there who might not be paying your child support. Not only are you hurting your child, you’re costing the rest of us tax payers money too. So start paying your child support, ya deadbeats!
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Curious to know what the amount of money recovered with assistance from this fund is. Not that I’m for opening the federal budget up to scams by just paying the missed child support payments on behalf of parents, but I have a suspicion that the $4.3 Billion is more than what these agencies actually recover. Another example of bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Great blog, and I’ve linked you on mine. Check it out some time.
http://zinvegas.blogspot.com
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That’s a good question. On page 271 of the report that I link to in the post, they report that they recovered 26.6$ billion dollars. While there are several examples of inefficiencies in the federal government(see my post on the 36 housing assistance programs) I think this is a program that may actually save money. Because some of the money recovered actually goes to families on TANF. If they get their child support payments, the payments are given to the government to recover the TANF payments.
[...] why do I care, and why should you? Well, as I’ve written before, deadbeat dads cost the federal government over 4 billion dollars last year(and collects over $30 billion with it). Now here is a supposedly conservative blog trying to [...]
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It is frustrating that these people are quite willing to make a baby, but aren’t willing to step up and take care of it. I understand that there are of course exceptions, but for the most part, these men need to own up to their responsibilities.
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The money spent on CSEA is SOOOOOO mismanaged it is scary. The counties HAVE to collect on a certain amout of arrearages to get their 100% in funding- (best guess sees to be around 80%)…County Officials need to make decisions that directly affect whether or not their salary is supported next year. The counties serve “contempt” warrants like it is bird seed. Once served the Obligors have no right to representation or due process. The prejudice against the Obligors is ridiculous. 80% of Obligors in arrears WANT to make payment but are unable. They are not willfully evading or hiding. The CSEA sits them in county jail for 90-180 at a cost to the tax payers of around 70 bucks a day/head. I am obviously passionate and for a reason. I fell behind and want more than anything to be able to “work”. CSEA tried to send me a letter and it bounced back- return to sender. They served a warrant for my arrest for “moving without notice”. I had a job making 96k. I was making payments and then some. Sat in jail with no bond and lost the job. Got me in their office and I signed on to some new Fed funded program they were starting. The official told me not to be upset and just look forward to better things. Like telling potential employers I was let go because arrested by CSEA?