It is difficult enough to enforce child support or alimony orders when your former spouse works a 9-to-5 job behind a desk. When your child’s other parent is in the military, things may seem even more complicated. There is good news, however. If a service member fails to pay, branches of the military have the authority to garnish wages for both military child support enforcement and spousal support enforcement.
For help with military child and alimony enforcement, call The Ward Law Firm today at 770-383-1973.
How Can I Enforce Child Support Orders After a Military Divorce?
A military divorce is quite different than a civilian divorce in a number of ways. However, in all divorces — regardless of whether the noncustodial parent is military or civilian — he or she must pay child support until the child’s 18th birthday (or until the child graduates high school, whichever comes later.)
While military parents must pay child support payments on-time, every time, the enforcement methods are a bit different.
If a civilian parent was delinquent on child support payments, the receiving parent would likely reach out to an attorney or the Georgia Division of Child Support Services; if a military parent is delinquent, parents must get an Income Deduction or Income Withholding Order from the local court or child support enforcement agency and send it to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). An attorney can help with obtaining an order.
It is important to note that the nature of a service member’s career may cause more changes in circumstances than the typical employment. State child support programs and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Child Support Enforcement work with both parents during these transitions, ensuring that all child support orders remain in effect and fair based on the parents’ new income and expenses.
What About Alimony or Spousal Support?
Like child support payments, the military can also garnish wages for alimony or spousal support. As with delinquent child support payments, this happens after the court issues an Income Deduction Order or Income Withholding Order.
DFAS reminds all spouses seeking back payments for alimony or child support that Withholding Orders are different from a divorce decree or your original support order. “Rather, the order must direct the government, as the employer, to withhold money and remit payments to satisfy the support obligation.”
A Gwinnett County alimony attorney can help you recover the compensation you and your family need.
How Can the Ward Law Firm Help?
If you are facing problems collecting child support or alimony after a military divorce in Gwinnett County, the Ward Law Firm can help. We are familiar with the specifics of military divorce and enforcing court orders for support.
To schedule your REAL Case Analysis and to learn more about how we can work with you on your case, contact us at 770-383-1973 today.