How a New Spouse’s Income Might Affect Child Support Payments (the Answer May Surprise You)

Often times, people who are paying or receiving child support choose to re-marry. After doing so, they are left to wonder if the new spouse’s income could affect their ongoing child support obligations. The answer to this query may surprise you.

First off, the new spouse’s income is not directly used to calculate child support. What the income may do, however, is affect the party’s tax bracket. In other words, the new spouse’s income might bump the person who is receiving or paying child support into a higher tax bracket and thereby increase the amount of money that person has to pay in taxes each year.

If the person who re-marries is the party paying child support, the more money his/her new spouse earns, the less he/she may have to pay. This is because that person will now have to pay more money in taxes each year, which will leave less money available to make support payments.

If the person who re-marries is the party receiving child support, he/she might end up receiving more child support because of the new spouse’s income. This is because that person will now have to pay additional taxes each year and will have greater needs to meet.

This scenario is a general one, and there are exceptions to how things may play out depending upon a person’s particular circumstances. If you plan to re-marry and are currently paying or receiving child support, however, you should consult with an attorney to see how this may affect future payments.