Lazy mom of 6 year old daughter doesn’t work, lives with her mom, and collects food stamps. I pay $425 a month in support. She goes to the bar at least twice a week and always has hair and nails done. She voluntarily quit her job two years ago. Can I do anything about misuse of child support? She and my daughter have been living with her mom for five years! She makes no effort to support her child.
When a person voluntarily suppresses their income in bad faith, the court can calculate child support based on the income they would be earning, rather than the income they are actually earning. You would generally show bad faith by proving that your spouse had the ability to earn more money, had a job where they were earning that salary, and left that position to avoid paying support. If your ex’s refusal to work is in bad faith the court may impute income to her which would reduce your child support obligation, but you must show that she is not working so that she can get more money from child support.