Standards of Adequacy for Child Support Awards

This study examined the adequacy of child support income for children of divorce. A random sample of 186 final divorce decrees finalized in Hennepin County, Minnesota in 1986 and involving minor children were used in the analyses. Income adequacy was defined as the extent to which income provides a level of living which meets reasonable needs. Income adequacy was measured by ratios of income to income needs uding three indicators of income and three standards of needs. Income-to-needs ratios were constructed to evaluate the adequacy of child support income. Results of the study supported the assumption that the child support award did not provide a satisfactory level of income for children. This result was consistent using the actual court-ordered child support award, the amount of income which would have been given if the Minnesota guidelines had been strictly applied, or income which might have been given to the child if Wisconsin guidelines had been applied. Actual court-ordered child support awards deviated downward from the established guidelines by about $18.14 monthly. The downward deviations from guidelines were greater at higher income levels. The income-to-needs ratios of the actual court-ordered awards did not exceed 50% of the direct costs of raising children until the net annual income of the obligor exceeded $12,000-$18,000 and did not provide income over the poverty level until the obliger's income reached $24,000.