Father Fined for Child Support After Hiding Income
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
A father in Jerusalem's Family Court claimed a monthly income of NIS 5,500, but Judge Moshe Brown found his expenses indicated a much higher income. The father, a self-employed chef, was ordered to pay NIS 3,150 in temporary child support plus half of his daughters' education and healthcare costs. The court estimated the daughters' needs at NIS 5,000 monthly, with the father responsible for half due to shared custody. The final child support amount will be determined later.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- A father claiming NIS 5,500 monthly income was ordered to pay NIS 3,150 in temporary child support.
- Judge Moshe Brown found the father's expenses inconsistent with his declared low income.
- The father is a self-employed chef with three young daughters from his ex-wife.
- The court estimated the daughters' monthly needs at NIS 5,000.
- The father must also pay half of his daughters' education and healthcare costs.
- The final child support amount will be decided later in the proceedings.
A father of three young daughters claimed in Jerusalem's Family Court that his net monthly income was only about NIS 5,500, making him unable to pay the child support demanded by his ex-wife. However, Judge Moshe Brown examined the father's expenses and discovered a significant discrepancy between his declared income and his monthly spending.
The parents separated in 2025 and divorced thereafter. Their three daughters, including twins, were all under six years old at the time of the decision. The mother sought NIS 5,400 monthly in child support, plus contributions to housing, education, and healthcare. She alleged that the father, a self-employed chef, actually earned around NIS 35,000 per month, presenting bank statements showing expenses exceeding NIS 17,000 in a single month.
The father countered that his income was low, he had debts, and his family provided financial assistance. He stated his rent was NIS 4,000, apartment maintenance NIS 1,300, and he paid NIS 2,100 in alimony to a child from a previous relationship. These expenses alone totaled NIS 7,400 monthly, nearly NIS 2,000 more than his declared income, before personal costs.
Judge Brown was unconvinced by the father's data, stating he did not accept the claim of an average net monthly income of NIS 5,500. The judge noted it was impossible to cover the stated expenses, plus personal costs, on such a low income, concluding the father's income was significantly higher than declared. However, the judge did not accept the mother's claim of NIS 35,000 income, nor did he specify an alternative amount.
The court estimated the three daughters' monthly needs at NIS 5,000. Since they spend half their time with the father, he was ordered to pay the mother NIS 2,500 monthly. Additionally, the father was ordered to pay half of his daughters' share of the mother's NIS 5,200 monthly rent, estimated at 25% of the rent, resulting in an additional NIS 650. Consequently, the father was ordered to pay NIS 3,150 in temporary monthly child support, plus half of education and healthcare expenses not covered by state insurance, pending documentation. The order is effective from July 27, 2026, the date of the application. The judge emphasized this is a temporary ruling, with the father's exact income and permanent child support to be determined later.
