Florida courts can assign income to a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or earning less than their demonstrated capacity, a process called imputing income. It prevents a parent from reducing or eliminating their child support obligation by leaving a job or taking lower-paying work ahead of a support proceeding. The court considers the parent's work history, education, job skills, and the Lee County job market to determine what they could reasonably earn.
Imputation arguments arise frequently in Fort Myers cases where one parent has recently changed employment, taken leave, or runs a business that allows them to control how income appears on paper. Brodzki Jacobs builds the evidentiary record needed to raise or defend against imputation claims before the hearing, not in response to what the other side presents at it. If you believe the other parent is underreporting income, or if you are facing an imputation argument, contact the firm to discuss how to address it effectively.
