When you first went to court over child support payments, the judge likely set the payments based on your income. You were probably told that as your income changes, you would need to report that change and the child support may be adjusted as a result. If you have had changes in your income, you may be confused about when to report those changes. Here are some answers to those questions along with a few things you should know about any changes of income you may have.

Overtime Payments 

If you work in certain industries such as nursing or manufacturing, overtime payments may be likely. These overtime payments can be confusing if they last for more than one week or if they seem to come up on a routine basis. In general, you will need to report the overtime payments if they are consistent. For example, if you have overtime hours twice a month on a routine basis, then yes you will need to report the income change. If the overtime is not routine and only happens once every few weeks or months, then you may not need to report the change.

Union Strikes

If you are part of a union, and that union goes on strike, you may have a cut in wages for the duration of the strike. You will need to report this income change as soon as possible to your child support lawyer. In some cases, you may be able to have the child support payment adjusted quickly due to the strike. Once the strike is called off and work resumes, you can report the change and the new income result. Keep in mind; you will need to report any financial assistance that can be deemed as income during the time of the union strike and while you are out of work.

Hourly Pay Changes

If you work on a pay per hour basis, then you may receive occasional pay increases. You may also be moved to a shift that receives and income adjustment per hour. In some cases, you may not be sure if you will need to report the change. This is especially true in cases where the change is less than $1 per hour. 

If you do experience this type of income change, contact your child support lawyer immediately. They can advise you on how to proceed and if this change will affect your child support payments. In most cases, the change and payment amount may automatically be handled by your employer when the payment is sent to the state.

These are just a few of the things you need to know about your changes of income and your child support payments. If you have a change of income and aren't sure if you should report it or not, contact your child support lawyer. They can assist you with the issues you are having, scheduling a court date, or filing the paperwork for the reporting of the income change.