If your ex just landed a big promotion or started making noticeably more money, it’s natural to wonder whether that income bump should affect your child support. In Tennessee, the answer depends on whether that raise leads to what the law calls a “significant variance.” Sounds technical, but here’s what it actually means — and what you can do if you think your current support order no longer reflects today’s reality.
What Tennessee means by “significant variance”
Tennessee doesn’t allow you to change a child support order just because circumstances feel different. The court wants numbers; specifically, your existing support order must differ by at least 15 percent from what it would be using updated income figures.
So, if your ex’s raise pushes their income high enough to hit that mark, you can ask the court to re-evaluate. But unless you file for that change, nothing updates automatically, and the current order stays locked in, even if it no longer reflects either parent’s finances.
How to start the modification process
If you believe the raise creates that 15 percent gap, you will want to gather solid documentation first, including pay stubs, tax returns or any proof of increased earnings. With that in hand, you can file a petition to modify the current child support order. This goes back to the same court that issued the original one.
After you file, both you and your ex will submit updated financial info. The judge will review it and decide whether the new numbers meet Tennessee’s legal standard. Keep this in mind though — any adjustment only takes effect from the date you file the petition, not from when your ex actually got the raise, so if you’re going to act, don’t wait too long.
You can’t rely on handshake agreements
Maybe your ex agrees the child support should increase, and maybe you’ve even talked about it. But unless the court signs off on a formal change, nothing is enforceable, meaning if they change their mind or stop paying, you are stuck with the original order – no legal weight, no enforcement power. That’s why formalizing any update is more than a formality as it protects your child and you.
If the numbers add up, don’t leave money on the table
The system doesn’t adjust on its own — you have to ask. If your ex earns more and the numbers show that 15 percent gap, there’s no reason to stick with a support amount that no longer fits your child’s needs. The law gives you a clear way to ask for a change, and that process starts with knowing your rights and moving early.
If you’re not sure where to begin, sit down with someone who works in this space every day and can help you make sense of the next step without the runaround.
