Does joint legal custody increase child support for nonmarital children? |
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| Institution: | 1. University of Wisconsin–Madison, Institute for Research on Poverty, United States;2. University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Social Work and Institute for Research on Poverty, United States;1. School of Social Work, Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, United States;2. Children and Family Futures, United States;3. School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, United States;1. Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota, 1994 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States;2. Human Capital Research Collaborative, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States;3. Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 51 E River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States;4. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States;5. Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development, University of Minnesota, 206 Burton Hall, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States;1. University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, Department of Social Work, Enderis Hall, Room 1045, 2400 E. Hartford Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States;2. University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, Center for Aging and Translational Research, Milwaukee, United States;3. Mid-Atlantic Region, Huntington''s Disease Youth Organization, Washington D.C., United States |
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| Abstract: | Nonmarital children account for two fifths of births in the US, and close to two thirds of these children do not live with their fathers by age five. Although nonmarital children primarily live with their mothers, joint legal custody has emerged as an option for their parents. Parents with joint legal custody are expected to make major decisions for their child together, regardless of their prior marital status. This study investigates whether joint legal custody increases child support payments in the first year of a child support order among fathers of nonmarital children who live with their mothers, using a unique sample of court records in 2000–2009 in Wisconsin. It finds consistent and statistically significant positive associations across different methods; joint legal custody is associated with higher child support payments by about $170 a year and a higher compliance ratio by 5 percentage points. Paying child support is only one way nonresident parents can contribute to their children. Therefore, more studies are needed to understand whether and how joint legal custody affects other aspects of parenting and conditions under which it should be encouraged. |
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