I Think my Ex Makes More Money now; Can I Change Child Support?

You’ve been divorced for a few years now.

Your ex was ordered to pay you child support, and he’s been paying the same amount every month.

But you heard he got a new job, and you’re pretty sure he makes more money now than he did when you divorced.

He takes more trips. He has a more expensive car. He just seems to be doing better than he was.

Problem is there’s not much of a chance he’ll tell you how much he makes, because if he makes more, he may have to pay more in child support.

What can you do?

You have a few options.

First, if your ex is paying through the Office of Recovery Services (ORS), and it’s been more than three years since the court signed your divorce decree, you can ask that ORS recalculate child support.

(You can ask for recalculation if it’s been less than three years, but ORS may say no.)

To complete its analysis, ORS will ask for you and your ex for current pay stubs, and it will use those numbers to determine if child support should be changed.

Of course, this means if your income has gone up, that will be figured in. But here’s the thing, if you have most of the parent-time with your child, then what you make doesn’t affect what your ex will pay in child support by very much at all.

Second, you could ask your ex for his pay stubs.

If you have a good relationship with your ex, you can always ask for his pay stubs and see if he’ll give them to you. If he will, you can use Utah’s online child support calculator to determine what the new child support amount should be.

When you determine the new number, you can file with the court to change child support. And since your ex gave you his pay stubs willingly, he’ll probably agree to the change, so the court process will be quick and easy.

Third, file with the court to change child support.

This route makes a lot of sense if your ex won’t give you his pay stubs and generally stonewalls you on child support.

Filing to change child support will force him to give you his tax returns and pay stubs (through a process called initial disclosures), so you can see exactly what he makes.

When you receive those documents, you can put the income data in the online child support calculator, and see exactly where the new child support should be.

At that point, it should be pretty clear to everyone what your ex would pay. Coming to an agreement is usually pretty easy at that point.

(Tip: Sometimes, it’s like pulling teeth to get tax returns and pay stubs from exes. One trick we’ve found effective for dealing with this that when you file your documents with the court, say that your ex makes some really high income. You’re pretty sure he doesn’t actually make that much, but you’re not sure, so go for it. When your ex sees a monthly income way above what he actually makes, he will give you whatever documents you want to prove he makes much less than what you said.)

Call Brown Family Law

If you find yourself facing a Utah divorce or paternity situation, please call 801.685.9999 for an in-person consultation, or use our online scheduling tool.

Protect Your Money And Your Family

We remove fear associated with divorce, protect your money & maximize time with your kids!

We're here to help. Let's determine your best options.

Call Us 24//7 at 801-685-9999 to Speak with a Live Representative

Utah Divorce FAQs
Top 100 Divorce Blog
What Clients Are Saying…
BrownLaw icon
Excellent
Brown Family Law
4.8
Based on 912 reviews
Nathaniel Garrabrandt and Brown Family Law is where I send people who are seeking Divorce. Highly professional and compassionate. Thank you!
I cannot say enough good about my experience with Brown Family Law. Ray Hingson and paralegal Carren did an excellent job with my case. I will definitely use this firm again for any legal issues.
I have worked with Andrew Christensen many times in a variety of situations. I am very impressed with his friendly demeanor in a difficult situation. I would highly recommend him to you without any reservations.
Highly recommend Brown Family Law. Life is hard, divorce is harder, and Andrew Christensen is your guy to help you through to the other side.
When you’re going through a tough time and need legal help, this firm isn’t just a one-person operation. It’s a team of attorneys who work together to support you every step of the way. So you’re not just getting a lawyer, you’re getting a legal team behind you.

Navigating the legal system was a steep learning curve for me, and my situation was fairly complex. What stood out about this law firm was the way multiple attorneys collaborated to address my case. It wasn’t just one person working in isolation, but a team supporting each other to find the best path forward. That kind of collective effort is a real strength, especially in hard out complex situations like mine.

There was one issue I felt should have had a different outcome with the court. When I brought it up, the team responded in a very professional and respectful manner, which I truly appreciated. It came to my understanding that the legal system sometimes works in a way that is distant than I thought. This was presented to me in a way that someone outside of the legal system could understand.

In my experience, this firm takes the time to not only assist you, but also help you understand why things are happening. That made a big difference for me, and it’s something that really sets them apart.
Response from the owner:David, thank you for our conversation and taking the time to leave this review.
My experience with Jennifer and Brown Family Law was nothing short of amazing. From the very beginning of my initial consultation all the through until my case was settled, I was well taken care of and updated every step of the way. I felt like my team genuinely cared about the outcome of my case, which was refreshing. You get what you pay for, and Brown Family was worth every penny. To say I highly recommend this group is an understatement.
Response from the owner:Thank you very much, Steve. Glad Jennifer took good care of you.
Andrew Christensen was a great divorce lawyer. He is very experienced, professional, and was great to work with during this difficult process.
Response from the owner:Casey, thank you and so glad Andrew served you well.
Made my divorce quick and painless. 5 months ago I was feeling very overwhelmed. There was legal issues with protective orders, my ex wife had taken my kids to another country without my consent, I was in way over my head. After speaking with brown law they calmed my nerves took over my case. A few video calls and 5 months later my divorce is finalized with a fair outcome for everyone. It was easy and stress fee, it didn’t even feel like I was going through a divorce.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much, Brian. Sorry you went through all of that, but glad we were able to help.
Jennifer was excellent! She was always responsive and kept me updated on my case. while the billing was a little different from what I expected, her expertise was invaluable. I highly recommend her. And I appreciate everything she's done for me and may case.
Response from the owner:Jennifer, thank you and glad Jennifer was able to help you and kept you updated.
Going through the divorce process can be overwhelming, exhausting and emotionally draining.
I did my homework to find the perfect lawyer to represent me knowing I could have peace of mind throughout the process.
Leilani Whitmer and her paralegal Idania did not disappoint. Their professionalism and dedication to my case was outstanding and fair.
Leilani had just had surgery a few days before mediation and showed up on crutches and ready to go. That’s dedication!!!
I am highly recommending them to anyone looking to feel at ease during a difficult time.
Response from the owner:Lesia, glad Leilani and Dani took such good care of you.
yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7

Categories