The free stuff does not go to the couple, it goes to the child's upkeep.  The children of poor families and of teen parents deserve an equal standard of living as your children.  People do not chose to be poor.  They make choices that are necessary that keep them from their educations, sometimes including the decision to raise a child or support a family instead of  advancing (or aborting).  Such people should be paid to continue school with as much remedial help as required and that pay should include the same child tax credit that everyone gets.  The price of such credits would be getting rid of the mortgage interest credit (which mainly benefits better off households - why should society subsidize them?) and shifting categorical payments to cash.