Child support can make the difference between a family needing welfare or not. However, if a family receives child support while also receiving welfare cash assistance, the family does not see the child support dollars. Instead, the government keeps the money to repay the assistance. Even after a family no longer receives welfare, the government keeps a share of the money. Using child support to recoup welfare costs directly compromises a family's ability to leave and stay off of welfare. Low-income children could be benefiting from billions of dollars paid by parents but treated as government revenues. It is time for Congress and the states to change the rules.