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Stop adding BAH into child support for our Military Members

HELP OUR MILITARY FAMILIES

Military base pay should be the only entitlement that Judges should be

allowed to consider for Child Support payments. Base Pay is the ONLY

entitlement that will remain idle and will not shift nor change due to a permanent Change of Station. BAH and BAS are non-taxable entitlements, that are utilized to offset the cost of living for the state in which the paying service membe currently resides and varies according to the service members current duty assignment. By State

Law awarding Judges the jurisdiction to utilize BAH and BAS into child

support calculations, the courts are placing a tremendous amount of financial hardship, poor credit situations nd higher divorce rates on remarried families.

For example, living in an area that has a higher cost of living requires

a large amount of BAH to offset housing costs for that state in which the paying service member is currently residing in. Thus resulting in a higher amounts of child support due

to the courts and less amounts of monies available to reside in a residence that would accomodate a current family ad well as find a home sufficient to accomodating the visiting children per the custody agreement between each parent. Which is ultimately unfair to the service member paying child support. If a Service member pays child support for three

children in the amount of $1,900.00 and BAH and BAS are included in the figure due to the courts adding in non-taxable

entitlements (ie. base pay equals $3,600 and BAH and BAS combined equals $2,700 a month totaling $6,100 gross income. In an area where an average home rents for $2,400 monthly, roughly leaving an end state income of $1,400 after taxes are deducted.) That amount cancels out the funds that the service member was

allotted to support their current families, forcing them to pay "out of pocket" from

their BASE PAY for rent, utilities, car notes, insurance, gas and child

care., leaving the Service member with little to nothing for saving and

daily usage. Please review the by-laws governing these authorization's and

help our Military Service members that fight for our Nation. Thank you