Parental responses to child support obligations: Evidence from administrative data

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

We study parental responses to child support obligations using rich administrative data from Denmark and variation in the child support formula. We estimate that a 1000 DKK ($160) increase in a father's obligation is associated with a 273 DKK ($45) increase in his payment. A higher obligation reduces father-child co-residence, pointing to substitution between financial and non-pecuniary investments. Further, obligations increase post-separation fertility among remarried fathers, but have no impacts on maternal fertility or either parent's labor supply. Our findings suggest that government efforts to increase child investments through mandates on parents can be complicated by their behavioral responses to them.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Public Economics
Volume164
Pages (from-to)183-196
Number of pages14
ISSN0047-2727
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2018
Externally publishedYes

    Research areas

  • Child support, Divorce, Family, Father involvement, Fertility, Labor supply, Parents

ID: 216248056