What this form actually does
FL-150 is a detailed, sworn statement of your income, expenses, assets, and debts. Courts use it to calculate child support and spousal support under California's guideline formulas, and to decide requests for attorney's fees. It's required any time support or fees are at issue — whether the case is a divorce, a parentage action, or a domestic violence case where support is requested.
Before you fill it out
- Gather recent pay stubs. You'll generally need your most recent pay stub(s) and, for some sections, your last tax return — have both on hand rather than estimating from memory.
- Know your filing deadline. If this is being filed in connection with a hearing (like a Request for Order), local rules often require it to be filed and served a set number of court days before the hearing — check the notice you received.
- Decide if the simplified version applies. Some courts allow a shorter income/expense form in narrow circumstances — confirm with the court or self-help center whether your case qualifies before assuming you can skip sections.
Filling it out, section by section
- Employment and income. List your job, employer, and gross monthly income from all sources — wages, self-employment, bonuses, commissions, and other income.
- Additional income sources. Rental income, investment income, spousal support received from a prior relationship, and other income streams the guideline formula accounts for.
- Assets. Cash, bank accounts, and other liquid assets as of the date you're signing.
- Expenses. Monthly household, transportation, and other recurring expenses — be realistic and specific rather than rounding broadly.
- Attachments. Attach the required income documentation (recent pay stub, and in some cases a tax return) as directed by the form's instructions.
- Sign under penalty of perjury. This is a sworn financial statement — inaccuracies can affect your credibility on other issues in the case and, in serious cases, can be treated as a discovery or perjury issue.
Keep it current: many courts require an updated FL-150 before any support-related hearing, even if you filed one earlier in the case — an outdated declaration can be challenged or excluded. Check whether your court treats a declaration older than a certain number of months as stale.
Common mistakes
- Underreporting or overreporting income — the other side's attorney or the court can compare figures against pay stubs, tax returns, and bank records.
- Skipping "additional income" categories that feel minor but affect the guideline calculation.
- Filing an old declaration close to a hearing instead of preparing a current one.
- Leaving expense categories blank instead of entering an honest $0 or actual figure, which can make the form look incomplete.