January 31, 2012
One important section of the rules for FHA loans states a borrower’s income must be verified by the lender as “effective income”. This means that the income must be stable and likely to continue.
Some types of income can’t be counted. A part-time business selling goods on eBay, for example, might not qualify. But what about other types of non-employment income like child support, alimony, or maintenance payments?
There are plenty of borrowers who receive or are eligible to start receiving these types of payments. Does the FHA recognize them as effective income?
In certain cases, yes. Alimony, maintenance payments as part of a divorce decree, and/or child support can qualify and be counted toward a borrower’s debt-to-income ratio provided the payments meet standards set by they FHA.
According to HUD4155.1, Alimony, Child Support and Maintenance Income Criteria, “Alimony, child support, or maintenance income may be considered effective, if
Joe Wallace has been specializing in military and personal finance topics since 1995. His work has appeared on Air Force Television News, The Pentagon Channel, ABC and a variety of print and online publications. He is a 13-year Air Force veteran and a member of the Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association. He was Managing editor for www.valoans.com for (8) years and is currently the Associate Editor for FHANewsblog.com.
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