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Child Support in Immigrant Families

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  • Lenna Nepomnyaschy
  • Louis Donnelly

Abstract

In this study, we use nationally representative data from the U.S. Current Population Survey-Child Support Supplement (N = 28,047) to examine differences in nonresident fathers’ material contributions between children of native and foreign-born mothers. We focus on contributions provided through the formal child support system (whether the mother has a child support agreement and the amount received), as well as support provided informally (the amount of informal cash and whether she receives any in-kind support). We control for a variety of individual and household characteristics, including whether the nonresident father lives in a different state or in a different country. We find that foreign-born mothers are much less likely to have a child support agreement than native-born mothers, but have similar amounts of formal support, once an agreement is in place. Compared to native-born mothers, foreign-born mothers are also much less likely to receive in-kind support, but this difference is completely explained by fathers’ distance from the child. Foreign-born mothers do not differ at all on the amount of informal cash support received from fathers. Nonresident fathers’ residence outside the U.S. is an important mechanism through which nativity affects the likelihood of having a child support order and receiving any in-kind support, but not the amount of formal support (given an order) or the amount of informal cash support. Aggregate comparisons mask important differences within the foreign-born group by mothers’ and children’s citizenship status, years in the U.S., and region of origin. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Lenna Nepomnyaschy & Louis Donnelly, 2014. "Child Support in Immigrant Families," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(6), pages 817-840, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:poprpr:v:33:y:2014:i:6:p:817-840
    DOI: 10.1007/s11113-014-9330-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Grossbard,Shoshana A. (ed.), 2003. "Marriage and the Economy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521814546.
    2. Grossbard,Shoshana A. (ed.), 2003. "Marriage and the Economy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521891431.
    3. Lenna Nepomnyaschy, 2007. "Child support and father-child contact: Testing reciprocal pathways," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 44(1), pages 93-112, February.
    4. Borjas, George J., 2011. "Poverty and Program Participation among Immigrant Children," Scholarly Articles 8052147, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
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