Misinformation about child support leads to bad decisions. Let’s clear up the 6 biggest myths.
Myth 1: “Mothers Always Get Child Support”
FACT: Child support is based on income and custody time — not gender. If the father has primary custody and the mother earns more, she pays child support. The formula is gender-neutral.
Myth 2: “50/50 Custody Means No Child Support”
FACT: Equal custody time reduces child support significantly, but doesn’t eliminate it if there’s an income disparity. If one parent earns $10,000/month and the other earns $3,000/month, the higher earner will still pay support even with 50/50 custody.
Myth 3: “Child Support Pays for the Other Parent’s Lifestyle”
FACT: Child support is for the child’s needs — housing, food, clothing, healthcare, education, and activities. The receiving parent uses it to maintain a home and standard of living for the child. That said, there’s no requirement to account for every dollar.
Myth 4: “You Can Go to Jail for Not Paying”
FACT: This one is actually partly true. While you won’t be immediately jailed, willful failure to pay child support can result in contempt of court charges, which carry up to 5 days in jail per violation. Repeated non-payment can result in significant jail time.
Myth 5: “If I Quit My Job, I Won’t Have to Pay”
FACT: Courts can impute income — meaning they can calculate support based on your earning capacity rather than your actual income if they determine you’re voluntarily underemployed or unemployed. Quitting your job to avoid support can backfire badly.
Myth 6: “Child Support Orders Can’t Be Changed”
FACT: Child support can absolutely be modified when there’s a material change in circumstances — job loss, income change, custody change, etc. The key is filing a modification petition promptly rather than just stopping payment.
Need to Modify Your Child Support Order?
Superior Court Docs prepares child support modification petitions starting at $599.
📞 (213) 973-7248 or get started today.
Related: Complete Child Support Guide | Child Support Calculator | How to Modify
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