Child support - short term World Bank Consultant

[Anonymous]

Ex spouse is a short term consultant at the World Bank. Since no taxes are paid, I have contacted the Bank directly to provide me with an estimate of gross income for child support calculations. However, there is a tricky consideration that neither me or my lawyer know how to resolve. Contract only allows for 150 days of work per year. I have heard that some consultants stretch those 150 days throughout the year, so they have an income every month. My ex spouse worked his 150 days up front, leaving him with about five months without an income. If you look at the two scenarios from a yearly perspective, gross income is the same in both. if you look at them from a monthly perspective, income is different. We came to an initial settlement where ex spouse will pay a small portion of his true child support obligation during those months where he will not have an income. Something tells me that he purposely worked his hours up front so that he appears as not being able to work more hours in the following months. How would you treat a case like this for child support considerations?

[Anonymous]

Not an expert by any means, but not sure what you mean by no taxes paid. My friend is a WB short term consultant and she is an independent contractor and pays taxes on her income (plus self employment, etc.). She does spread her days over the full year but then supplements with other consulting gigs. Is your DH doing that?

In terms of child support it seems like income should be based on full year income, regardless of when worked, and then come up with a monthly amount. If you want to negotiate a payment schedule that's different that's a separate thing.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, I work at the World Bank. I only started paying taxes once I became a US Citizen. Even green card holders do not pay taxes here. If he is a US Citizen, he get a supplemental amount of $$$ to pay his taxes. You should be able to find out his gross annual income (that is on his STC contract) from his HR or budget colleague.

As for the 150....it's a pain in the neck, and causes a lot of problems. If he is good at what he does and works on a couple of demanding programs and his task manager needs him, he just might have had to use his 150 up. Not everyone is able to phase out their 150 days during the 12 months. He might have to coordinate when he works with his team, task manager or the overseas team. Usually mid-December to mid-January and July/August are slow periods here. Many people take 4-6 weeks of vacations and go back to their home countries. So, your ex might be adjusting his working schedule according to this as well.

[Anonymous]

The obvious answer is to use annual income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The obvious answer is to use annual income.

+1 Also, there's nothing stopping your ex from being employed elsewhere in the months when he's not working as a consultant for the WB.

[Anonymous]

I think the judge will order him to pay what his potential earnings are. So it goes by his income the last several months.

[Anonymous]

OP here - he only has a G4 VISA at the moment, so he cannot work outside.

It's very confusing. I like the idea of using annual income. However, since he has already ended his 150 days for this fiscal year, he is trying to get a settlement where he only pays a small amount for the next few months since he says he will not have additional income. He also says he has proof that he cannot work neither at the WB nor outside due to the VISA. My lawyer thinks that if the lack of income is not his fault then there's nothing we can do. I continue to think that he's getting off the hook too easily here but perhaps I'm wrong. Next fiscal year starts in July and I want to make sure that we get what's fair next time around.

Thanks for all your comments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - he only has a G4 VISA at the moment, so he cannot work outside.

It's very confusing. I like the idea of using annual income. However, since he has already ended his 150 days for this fiscal year, he is trying to get a settlement where he only pays a small amount for the next few months since he says he will not have additional income. He also says he has proof that he cannot work neither at the WB nor outside due to the VISA. My lawyer thinks that if the lack of income is not his fault then there's nothing we can do. I continue to think that he's getting off the hook too easily here but perhaps I'm wrong. Next fiscal year starts in July and I want to make sure that we get what's fair next time around.

Thanks for all your comments.

I think his G4 visa would allow him to work at other multilateral institutions (IMF, OAS, IDB etc.) But you're right that his options would be limited if he stays in the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - he only has a G4 VISA at the moment, so he cannot work outside.

It's very confusing. I like the idea of using annual income. However, since he has already ended his 150 days for this fiscal year, he is trying to get a settlement where he only pays a small amount for the next few months since he says he will not have additional income. He also says he has proof that he cannot work neither at the WB nor outside due to the VISA. My lawyer thinks that if the lack of income is not his fault then there's nothing we can do. I continue to think that he's getting off the hook too easily here but perhaps I'm wrong. Next fiscal year starts in July and I want to make sure that we get what's fair next time around.

Thanks for all your comments.

I think his G4 visa would allow him to work at other multilateral institutions (IMF, OAS, IDB etc.) But you're right that his options would be limited if he stays in the DC area.

No. If he wants to do this, that other institution will need to sponsor another G4. OP, what he told you is correct, he is only allowed to work for the WBG with his G4.

Also, STCs are not guaranteed extensions so I wouldn't pin hopes on the next fiscal year. What if his contract is not renewed? Or renewed only for less than 150 days?

[Anonymous]

World Banker here - another aspect is that as an STC, if your contract is not renewed, I believe you have to leave the country in xyx (maybe 30 or 60) days......so hopefully, they will renew him for next year, as you said starting July 1st. If he is busy at work, they should renew him for the 150 again, but he is probably not in charge of how quickly he uses up those days. Hopefully they will create a Staff position for him...but that does not always happen. Sometimes people work as STCs for years and decades, without getting any benefits.

[Anonymous]

OP, I know it will be tight for a few months, but I'd accept it and plan to ask for a lot during the months he's working.

Is he definitely planning to stay here?

[Anonymous]

The world bank disclosed his income to you. Really inappropriate. It goes by yearly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The world bank disclosed his income to you. Really inappropriate. It goes by yearly.

I too found this to be unusual and somewhat unlikely.

I also find it surprising that your attorney is having such an issue with respect to irregular income. While many people are W-2 wage earners there are certainly plenty of independent contractors and business owners that have fluctuating incomes. It's not exactly a novel legal issue to deal with.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't it go by earning potential if someone is unemployed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The world bank disclosed his income to you. Really inappropriate. It goes by yearly.

World Bank spouses are entitled to their spouses' records.