Today the U.S. Census Bureau released the Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2013 report, which presents a snapshot of custodial parents and child support payments — either legal or informal — that were reported as received from noncustodial parents living outside the home.

The report also sheds light on child support income due. In 2013, approximately 25.9 percent of custodial parents who were due child support had received no payments from noncustodial parents, while only 45.6 percent reported receiving the full amount due.

Child support income for custodial parents living below poverty levels continues to be important, the report shows. Child support for custodial parents living below poverty who received all support they were due represented 70.3 percent of their average personal income in 2013.

Highlights from the report:

• About half (48.7 percent) of all custodial parents had either legal or informal child support agreements, and custodial mothers were more likely to have agreements (52.3 percent) than custodial fathers (31.4 percent).
• The aggregate amount of child support due in 2013 was $32.9 billion, a decrease of $14.0 billion from a decade earlier when adjusted to 2013 dollars.
• About 68.5 percent of the $32.9 billion in child support due in 2013 was reported as received, averaging $3,950 per year per custodial parent who was due support.

This data comes from the Child Support Supplement to the April 2014 Current Population Survey.

No news release associated with this report. Tip sheet only.