Does an applicant need to include monthly child support/alimony payments in the rental application?
Applicants need not disclose income of any type which he/she does not wish to include in showing their financial qualification for the rental unit. However, applicants should provide information about every source of cash flow that they wish the landlord to consider when evaluating their financial qualification. This should include both items that are income and those which are not. For example, while alimony is income under tax laws, child support is not. For young applicants, gifts from parents might also be a non-income source of cash flow, but should be verified as being regular during a reasonable length period. Landlords can require proof of sources of cash flow, but to avoid discrimination charges, similar verification must be required for all applicants and similar sources must be treated similarly.
On the other side of the coin, applicants should provide adequate information regarding monthly expenses. An applicant with high income, but also high monthly expenses may not be an acceptable credit risk. The landlord should compare expense information (e.g., installment credit payments) provided by applicants with information provided in credit reports and discuss discrepancies with applicants.