Form FL-150: Income and Expense Declaration

Form FL-150, the Income and Expense Declaration, is a California Judicial Council form used in family law cases to disclose a party's income, expenses, assets, and debts to the court and the other party. The form is required in proceedings involving child support, spousal support, and attorney fee requests, because the court must understand each party's financial situation to make support orders that follow California's guidelines. A party completing FL-150 reports income from all sources, monthly expenses, deductions, and information about assets and obligations, and signs it under penalty of perjury. The form gives the judge the financial picture needed to apply the statewide child support guideline and to evaluate spousal support and fee requests. Because support determinations depend on accurate financial information, FL-150 is a central document in California divorce, parentage, and support cases, and the court relies on it to set fair and lawful support amounts based on the parties' actual finances.

Form FL-150 requires you to disclose detailed financial information, including your income from all sources, deductions, monthly living expenses, and information about assets and debts. You report employment income, self-employment income, investment income, and any other money you receive, often supported by recent pay stubs and tax returns that you attach. The expense section lists your monthly costs for housing, utilities, food, transportation, health care, child care, and other living expenses. You also provide information about your assets, such as cash and property, and your debts. Because you sign the form under penalty of perjury, the information must be complete and truthful, and California courts take financial disclosure seriously in family law cases. Attaching documentation such as pay stubs supports the figures. Because the court uses these numbers to calculate guideline child support and to assess spousal support and attorney fees, accurate and thorough disclosure on FL-150 is essential, and omitting income or understating it can have serious consequences.

Form FL-150 directly affects child and spousal support because California courts use the income and expense information on it to calculate support. For child support, California applies a statewide guideline formula that considers each parent's income, the time each parent spends with the children, and certain deductions and expenses, all of which come from the parties' FL-150 forms. For spousal support, the court considers the supported party's needs and the paying party's ability to pay, again drawing on the financial details disclosed. Because the support amounts flow from the reported income and expenses, the accuracy of FL-150 is critical: understating income can lead to a lower-than-appropriate support order, while overstating expenses can distort the calculation. Courts may scrutinize the disclosures and consider supporting documents such as tax returns and pay stubs. Because the form drives the support outcome, completing FL-150 honestly and completely, with documentation, helps ensure the court sets support based on the parties' true financial circumstances.

You generally need to attach supporting documents to Form FL-150 to substantiate the income you report, most commonly your most recent pay stubs and your latest tax returns. California rules require parties to provide recent pay stubs, typically covering the last two months, so the court and the other party can verify reported wage income. Your tax return helps confirm income, especially for self-employed parties whose earnings are less straightforward. Attaching documentation lends credibility to the figures and reduces disputes over income. For self-employment income, you may need to provide a profit and loss statement and additional records. Because the court relies on FL-150 to calculate guideline child support and assess spousal support, unsupported or incomplete income figures can lead to challenges or court orders to provide more information. Providing the required pay stubs and tax returns with your FL-150 supports an accurate calculation and demonstrates that your disclosure is complete, which is important given the form is signed under penalty of perjury.

Providing false information on Form FL-150 carries serious consequences because the form is signed under penalty of perjury and the court relies on it to make support orders. Knowingly understating income, hiding assets, or inflating expenses can constitute perjury, which is a crime, and can lead to sanctions, an adverse support order, and a loss of credibility with the court that may affect other aspects of the case. If the other party or the court later discovers that the disclosure was false, the court can recalculate support based on the true figures, order the dishonest party to pay the other side's attorney fees, and impose financial penalties. California family law strongly emphasizes full and accurate financial disclosure, and concealment can also support reopening or modifying orders. Because the support amounts depend on truthful financial information and the form is sworn, you should complete FL-150 honestly and completely. Accurate disclosure protects you from sanctions and ensures the court sets support based on real finances.