TRENDS IN CHILD-SUPPORT OUTCOMES

This paper examines trends in child support award rates, award amounts , and receipts. We investigate four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the downward trend in these outcomes during the 1980s: (I) changes in the demographic composition of the population eligible for child support, (2) increases in mothers' income, (3) decreases in fat hers' income, and (4) inflation. Our results indicate that trends in n onmarital fertility can explain much of the decline in award rates. Th e steady downward trend in fathers' incomes during the 1980s also Expl ains a considerable portion of the decline in award rates, award amoun ts, and receipts. Our results are also consistent with the notion that persistent money illusion is responsible for the decline in real chil d support awards.