What Happens If My Spouse Hides Income to Avoid Child Support?

One of the most common methods that people use to reduce their child support obligations is to hide income. This can be frustrating as you know that your ex-spouse earns more but is lying to the courts.

Most Common Methods of Concealing Income

There are a few ways in which a spouse may attempt to hide their income, including:

• Collecting income in cash: This is one of the most common methods used. An employee may request that their employer pay them in cash to avoid a paper trail.
• Defer promotions: Some people may defer promotions or bonuses at work while going through divorce or child support adjustments.
• Self-employment: An ex-spouse who is self-employed may write off non-business expenses in order to report that they earn less.
• Staying unemployed: An ex-spouse may also refrain from seeking employment so that they don’t have to pay child support.

These are some of the most common ways in which people avoid child support. They may temporarily hide income during the initial child support calculations, or they may continue to report less than what they earn to continue paying less.

Your Options for Collecting Child Support

If you know that your ex-spouse isn’t being truthful when it comes to reporting income, you’ll want to reach out to a divorce lawyer. A divorce lawyer can help you evaluate your options and come up with a plan to ensure you get the child support you deserve. 

Your lawyer may assist you with having your spouse’s income imputed. Imputed refers to a method that involves the judge assigning a specific amount of income that they consider reasonable. The judge may consider a variety of factors and come up with their own income calculation. An imputed income also isn’t affected by other factors, like unemployment or a spouse who writes off business expenses.

Concealing Assets is Illegal

Concealing assets with the purpose of paying less in child support is illegal in New Jersey. If it’s later proven that your spouse had additional income that they purposefully hid, they could be charged. The judge would also likely order them to retroactively pay child support. Some judges may even add on interest charges.

Why Work With a Child Custody Lawyer?

A lot of unique issues can arise when going through a divorce or a child custody case. Even once you and your spouse have decided on an appropriate child custody schedule, there are often disagreements on who owes what in child support payments.

Some spouses may attempt to pay less by concealing all, or some, of their incomes. They may also refrain from paying altogether. Tracking down late or missed child support payments can be stressful and overwhelming when you’re also trying to raise a child.

A child custody lawyer can help you navigate the sometimes-confusing child custody courts in New Jersey. They can also help you evaluate your options when unique situations arise, like a spouse hiding some of their income or not paying what they owe at all. There are also programs and policies in place that may help.

Contact a Cherry Hill Family Law Attorney for a Consultation About Child Custody in New Jersey Today

If you are thinking about filing for divorce, or if you have already started the divorce process and are dealing with another matter such as child custody, child support, or division of assets, you need to speak with a qualified attorney. The New Jersey family law attorneys at Cordry Hartman represent clients throughout the state, including Moorestown, Cherry Hill, Evesham Township, and Mount Laurel. We understand how challenging this time can be for you, which is why we will fight hard to protect your interests, and the interests of your loved ones, throughout the legal process. Call us at 856-452-4474 or fill out our confidential contact form to schedule a consultation. We have an office conveniently located at 505 S Lenola Rd Ste 224 Moorestown, NJ 08057.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.