Can I use child support as income for a mortgage?

How lenders count child support you receive

Child support is fully qualifying, tax-free income — and because it's tax-free, most lenders gross it up 125%.

Example: You receive $1,000/month in child support. Grossed up, that's $1,250/month in qualifying income. On a 43% DTI, that supports roughly $75,000–$90,000 of additional home price.

To count it, the payment must: 1. Be court-ordered (informal / verbal agreements don't count) 2. Have 6+ months of documented receipt (bank deposits matching decree) 3. Have 3+ years of remaining duration from closing (child under 15 for most decrees)

Documentation checklist

• Divorce or family court decree specifying amount, frequency, and end date
• 6+ months of bank statements showing consistent deposits matching the decree
• State child support agency printout confirming payment history (available in most states)
• Child's birth certificate if the decree doesn't list a specific end date

If payments come inconsistently (partial months, late), most lenders will require 12 months of history instead of 6, and will use a conservative average rather than the decree amount.

If your ex is behind on payments

If your ex has missed payments in the last 6–12 months, lenders will either: - Exclude the income entirely, or - Use only the amount actually received (averaged), not the amount owed

This is where a state child support agency printout matters most — it shows the on-time payment record.