Posted on Sep 22, 2015
What is the amount of child support based off of for military?
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I am recently divorced, I have 1 daughter who I pay child support for and the mother is also Army as well. I feel like I am getting screwed with the amount I am paying a month for child support ($660) as an E-4 that is taking a toll on my finances, I've seen the regulation for family support and I can't quite make sense of it all. Can someone break it down for me and tell me if my whole check (base pay, bas, bah) is to be figured into child support or is it just my base pay?
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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Harsh words to feel like you are getting screwed for providing support to your own blood - your daughter....If you are court ordered to pay that amount, I suggest you make an appointment with your local ACS for some financial readiness counseling, the number is [login to see] . While I do understand you are probably frustrated and might feel like mom and daughter could be living better than you, but would you want your daughter living in a bad environment. If you are not court ordered, you can make an inquiry to your local IG [login to see] ) and they can assist you with your question locally.
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SPC (Join to see)
SGM,
It is harsh words and I understand where you are coming from, and I have no problem supporting my daughter. I will do anything for her to make sure she has a better life than mine. But because they used my pay from while I was deployed as their basis, and my pay has been unable to stabilize since I returned from Afghanistan in February. I have no way to prove what is my actual pay do to finance making improper payments to me and deducting payments as well. I am asking is there a way for me to show to the courts of what I actually make vs what I was quoted.
It is harsh words and I understand where you are coming from, and I have no problem supporting my daughter. I will do anything for her to make sure she has a better life than mine. But because they used my pay from while I was deployed as their basis, and my pay has been unable to stabilize since I returned from Afghanistan in February. I have no way to prove what is my actual pay do to finance making improper payments to me and deducting payments as well. I am asking is there a way for me to show to the courts of what I actually make vs what I was quoted.
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Capt Mark Strobl
CSM Michael J. Uhlig, I'm looking for the "two thumbs up" button.
SPC (Join to see), Not sure where you were divorced. But, you may be subject to their laws until your daughter is emancipated. My suggestion is to 1.) Hire a family lawyer; and 2.) Have your case reviewed. Most states allow this after the one-year mark of your divorce decree. That lawyer may be a little pricey. But, they can "make it right" --for both you and your daughter.
SPC (Join to see), Not sure where you were divorced. But, you may be subject to their laws until your daughter is emancipated. My suggestion is to 1.) Hire a family lawyer; and 2.) Have your case reviewed. Most states allow this after the one-year mark of your divorce decree. That lawyer may be a little pricey. But, they can "make it right" --for both you and your daughter.
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Maj John Bell
SPC (Join to see) - Nonsense! Tell your immediate leadership that you need to speak to disbursing and why. Go to disbursing and tell them you need to know what you "stabilized pay" is going to be for the foreseeable future, and why. Ask them to put it n writing. Go to friends of the court, or whatever it is called in the jurisdiction that oversaw your divorce, with the document from disbursing and request a judicial review of the divorce settlement. In Michigan, that review will happen in less than 45 days. Your state may be different.
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SPC Crain,
I had to go through this process also. Your amount, if you go through the court system (which I did) it is based off of your monthly GROSS income. If you also went through the court system they SHOULD have broke it down to you as to how much YOU pay in child support and how much SHE pays. This amount is based off of many factors! I am an E5 in the Navy and pay over 900 for 1 child where my ex is an E4 and he is only paying 460.
Please do not feel as though you are being SCREWED. What you need to do is sleep on a friends couch, help pay groceries and utilities there, and pay your child support!!!! Your focus needs to be on making sure that you are still part of your child's life, she knows that you love her, and keep good communication between you and the mother!!!!
I had to go through this process also. Your amount, if you go through the court system (which I did) it is based off of your monthly GROSS income. If you also went through the court system they SHOULD have broke it down to you as to how much YOU pay in child support and how much SHE pays. This amount is based off of many factors! I am an E5 in the Navy and pay over 900 for 1 child where my ex is an E4 and he is only paying 460.
Please do not feel as though you are being SCREWED. What you need to do is sleep on a friends couch, help pay groceries and utilities there, and pay your child support!!!! Your focus needs to be on making sure that you are still part of your child's life, she knows that you love her, and keep good communication between you and the mother!!!!
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Kelly Clay
Wow you pay over $900. My sons father has been in the Navy for 9 years and only gives me $100 a month. He said he can't afford to send more. He s an E5 too :(
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Keyshia Nytice
Kelly Clay - My sons father has been in the services for 7 years now and is also an E5 my son only gets $150. i just found out through trying to renew his Military ID that he doesn't go by the name he used while attending school but by his middle name
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Kelly Clay
Keyshia Nytice he only gets $150? Is that through a child support order? I have been trying to renew my sons military ID but I was told he has to be present when I do... is that true?
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CPO (Join to see)
Did you really just tell him he needs to "sleep on a friend's couch, etc etc". That is the dumbest shit I have heard. Maybe you missed the question he was asking. Because it sure a hell wasn't about if he needed to be a good father. That's a given. It was about the financial break down of child support. Just because someone doesn't want to be with the mother of their child doesn't mean they should be homeless. Especially when the mother is in the military and all of her housing medical and everything else is taken care of.
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I used to enforce child support in PA so I don't know if it is exactly the same in your state but it is likely pretty close.
Your total income including BAS & BAH (because you use that to pay for food & housing, something a child needs) will be added to her income. This is the total family income on one axis of the chart. The number of children is the other axis of the chart. You follow these numbers to where they meet on the chart and that is the total amount of support to be provided to the child or children. Let's say that number is $660 just for sake of having a number to work with.
Now you calculate what percentage of the total income belongs to the non-custodial parent. Let's say you both earn exactly the same amount so your percentage is 50%. You would pay 50% of $660 or $330. Often, the incomes are not equal and a rather common scenario is that the custodial parent is employed as a full-time mom and earns $0 income. That makes your percentage of the income 100% so you would pay $660.
It's just simple math to calculate support that is in a table that is part of a state law and should be able to be found online. There isn't much to argue. It is what it is. There are some adjustments that can be made for split custody or excessive visitation and this is where you will need legal representation if any of those apply to you. The one bit of advice I can give is that a good relationship with the mother will get you further than and lawyer ever will. A custodial parent can agree to take less than the calculated amount and if you feel generous you can agree to pay more. When there is no agreement the chart is used.
The philosophy is that the child is entitled to the same standard of living that would exist if the parents were together in the some household. You may find that this somewhat decreases your standard of living if you don't have custody.
Your total income including BAS & BAH (because you use that to pay for food & housing, something a child needs) will be added to her income. This is the total family income on one axis of the chart. The number of children is the other axis of the chart. You follow these numbers to where they meet on the chart and that is the total amount of support to be provided to the child or children. Let's say that number is $660 just for sake of having a number to work with.
Now you calculate what percentage of the total income belongs to the non-custodial parent. Let's say you both earn exactly the same amount so your percentage is 50%. You would pay 50% of $660 or $330. Often, the incomes are not equal and a rather common scenario is that the custodial parent is employed as a full-time mom and earns $0 income. That makes your percentage of the income 100% so you would pay $660.
It's just simple math to calculate support that is in a table that is part of a state law and should be able to be found online. There isn't much to argue. It is what it is. There are some adjustments that can be made for split custody or excessive visitation and this is where you will need legal representation if any of those apply to you. The one bit of advice I can give is that a good relationship with the mother will get you further than and lawyer ever will. A custodial parent can agree to take less than the calculated amount and if you feel generous you can agree to pay more. When there is no agreement the chart is used.
The philosophy is that the child is entitled to the same standard of living that would exist if the parents were together in the some household. You may find that this somewhat decreases your standard of living if you don't have custody.
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Keyshia Nytice
i could really use your help. My son's father isn't enlisted by his first name but by his middle name instead, his rank in E5 and he's been active duty for over 7 years now but only pays $150 in child support. Over the summer his family had a sit down with our son asking him what his father sends every month for support he's a 13 yr old young man and they are all retired military vets. The conversation i was told about is that the grandfather stated he should be ashamed due to his rank. I work very hard to make sure my son has everything he needs off the $150 plus what ever i may get on my small checks and tips as a server at WalkOns. The father doesn't reach out, he don't even know how old or what grade he's in.
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