If you are a parent and a member of the military, it is likely that you are aware of the challenges of raising children while serving for your country. If you are no longer in a relationship with the parent of your child, your ex may have requested that child support payments be made to help with the costs of raising a child.
You may be wondering how child support payments are calculated for military members, and whether there are any severe implications for missing child support payments. As a member of the military, it is important that you take an active stance when it comes to learning about your legal obligations.
Calculating child support payments as a member of the military
As with any child support order, the calculation will be based first and foremost on income. Your former partner may be able to gain information on your estimated paycheck by looking at the military pay chart, even if you do not volunteer that information.
In addition to your paycheck, other benefits will be taken into account when assessing your income. As a member of the military, these benefits may include the Basic Allowance for Housing and the Basic Allowance for Subsistence or Separate Rations.
What are my obligations to pay a child support order as a member of the military?
You have the obligation to pay child support for both custodial and non-custodial children as a member of the military, as dictated by federal regulations. If you get behind on your child support obligations, the military cannot force you to pay without first obtaining a court order.
However, it is possible for the military to inflict severe penalties for not paying your child support obligations. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, you may be seen to have violated many separate articles, including those relating to disobeying an order willfully and bringing discredit to the armed forces.
If you are struggling to keep up with your child support obligations in North Carolina, it is important to take action in order to request that the order be modified.