Paying more or accepting less child support: Parental compromises in CSA private collect

Abstract

We extend our two earlier articles in this special issue by conducting a detailed cross-case analysis of the reason(s) that individual payers and payees gave for paying more or taking less child support than required. We focus on apparently consensual arrangements occurring in the context of private transfers because the ‘black box’ nature of these transfers means that the presence of financial abuse may be hidden. Data were collected in 2008 (ie, pre-child support reform). The analytic sample (n=107) comprised: (a) 64 female payees who reported accepting less child support than was due; (b) 43 male payers who reported paying more child support than was due. Among those who reported private transfers of child support, we found evidence of both cooperation and possible financial coercion. Future research needs to explore potential gender differences in the language of financial ‘pressure’ and ‘intimidation’, and examine the nature of private child support arrangements struck as a result of intimidation and/or pressure. Show more