The Effects of Race and Marital Status on Child Support and Work Effort

This study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience (NLSLME), Young Women\u27s Cohort, to assess the influence of race and marital status on levels of child support and work effort of recipients of child support in 1978,1983,1988, and 1991. Controlling for the number of children and highest completed grade of education, the study found that race exerted no effect on either level of child support payments or work effort in any of the study years. Marital status influenced level of child support in each study year and work effort only in 1983. Formerly-married mothers had the highest levels of child support as a part of total family income in each study year, while married and never-married recipients of child support had similar lower levels. Also, formerly-married mothers had the greatest work effort only in 1983. Implications for child support policies are discussed