Understanding TANF Cost Recovery in the Child Support Program – CBPP
“…child support payments often do not reach families participating in TANF. And even after they leave TANF, states still keep some of their child support payments. State child support policies typically prioritize reimbursing the state and federal government for TANF cash payments provided to families during times of need, rather than directing payments to the children for whom they are intended. States have policy options to direct more child support payments to families who receive or used to receive TANF assistance, but only half of states have chosen to exercise any of those options.
“Families, not states, should receive the child support payments made by non-custodial parents for their children.”