Child Support for Military Families

There are several options in providing for child support of minor children when one of the parents is in the military. One option is the traditional method of pursuing court-ordered support through the state court with jurisdiction. Please note that the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA), which mandates a stay on civil matters while a servicemember is on active duty, may interfere with the ability to quickly pursue a court order through a local court. A servicemember can elect to waive the protection provided by the SCRA and proceed with any civil matter, including family law issues, at their discretion. Any such waiver should be writing.

Another option is to reach an agreement on support. Written support agreements can be enforced through the military or the state court with jurisdiction. In a scenario where there is not an order in place for support and there is no agreement, the servicemember’s relevant branch of military can establish an interim support amount based on their regulations. All branches of the military maintain regulations that require a duty of support by the servicemember to their family/dependents. Most branches of the military have established support requirements that are tied to the number of dependents requiring support (spouse and minor children) and their gross pay and/or Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). This interim support may be less than what is provided pursuant to the child support guidelines in your jurisdiction. For this reason, it should truly only be used as a temporary means of relief with the intent to follow through with a court ordered support award as soon as possible.

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Holiday Schedules

As the holiday season approaches it is a good time to figure out where children will spend the holidays if you are separated or divorced. A good custody order will include a holiday schedule. Frequently seen provisions include alternating holidays so that one parent has a holiday in even years while the other parent has it in odd years. Another option is splitting the holidays so that each party has a certain time allotted on the holiday itself. This works best if the parties are in close proximity to each other to minimize travel time on the holiday. There could be a holiday schedule which provides for the parties to always have the same holidays every year. In some instances, a custody order may simply state that holidays will be shared as mutually agreed upon by the parties without specifics. This is only recommended if you have a good relationship with the other parent to avoid arguments or stressful last-minute negotiations.

Another consideration is if there are unique family traditions that don’t occur on the actual holiday, such as an annual party that the kids may want to be involved in. If one party usually travels during the holiday season this should be addressed when drafting a holiday schedule. Holiday and vacation time will generally supersede the regular custody schedule, however, be sure any custody order makes clear whether the holiday schedule or vacation provision takes top priority. As a practical matter, parties should try to be as civil and cooperative as possible when discussing holiday time. The holidays can be an especially difficult time for families that are going through separation and divorce and everyone involved will benefit from a process that is as amicable as possible.

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Spousal Support

Section 4321 of the Domestic Relations laws provides that married persons are liable for the support of each other according to their respective abilities to provide support as provided by law. Similar to child support, spousal support will be calculated based on a statewide guideline. Without children, spousal support is 40% of the difference of the net incomes of the parties. If there is also a child support order, spousal support will only be 30% of the difference of the net incomes. There is a defense to the duty to pay spousal support where the spouse seeking support has engaged in conduct that would constitute grounds for a fault-based divorce. The fault grounds under the Pennsylvania Divorce Code include: (1) willful and malicious desertion without reasonable cause for at least one year; (2) adultery; (3) cruel and barbarous treatment of an injured and innocent spouse; (4) bigamy; (5) imprisonment for at least two years after conviction of a crime; and (6) indignities to the innocent and injured spouse which makes that spouse’s condition intolerable and life burdensome.

It is up to the spouse who is objecting to a spousal support award to prove a fault ground for divorce by clear and convincing evidence. Many cases have touched on the issue of whether spousal support is appropriate if the other party had another relationship outside of the marriage. In this scenario the spouse objecting could raise a defense by seeking to prove adultery or indignities. Adultery is defined as voluntary sexual intercourse with a person other than his/her spouse. “Indignities may consist of vulgarity, unmerited reproach, habitual contumely, studied neglect, intentional incivility, manifest disdain, abusive language, malignant ridicule, and every other plain manifestation of settled hate and estrangement.” A single act by a spouse will not support a finding of indignities. Instead, it must be a course of conduct that renders the life of the innocent party intolerable or burdensome. A party objecting to spousal support should be aware that conduct which takes place after separation is generally not relevant. It should only be introduced if you can show the conduct began before separation. Parties should be careful of the timing of new relationships if seeking spousal support.

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Reconciliation

Pennsylvania allows a no-fault divorce on the basis of one year separation period. Separation is defined in Section 3103 of the Divorce Code as follows: “Cessation of cohabitation, whether living in the same residence or not. In the event a complaint in divorce is filed and served, it shall be presumed that the parties commenced to live separate and apart not later than the date that the complaint was served.” Cohabitation, though not specifically defined in the divorce code, is generally understood to be living and dwelling together as husband and wife with the mutual assumption of all marital rights, duties and obligations. It requires more than just remaining in the same house overnight or for the weekend or taking a week-long trip together. Any reconciliation between parties can negate a prior separation period. Specifically, if a party is pursuing a divorce on the grounds of separation, a reconciliation may result in a new date of separation date and hence a new one-year waiting period.

Case law has distinguished what actions/behavior will be considered a successful reconciliation, hence tolling a new period of separation, versus those actions/behavior that will not change the initial separation date. For example, isolated instances of sexual relations during a separation will not alone establish a reconciliation. Additionally, residing in the same home does not alone establish reconciliation. The court would examine the facts in each case and evaluate whether or not there was a full-blown resumption of the marital relationship. In Britton v. Britton, 400 Pa. Super. 43 (1990) a reconciliation was recognized when the reconciliation lasted three months, the parties resumed living together, ceased to maintain separate residences, jointly purchased a townhome, shared the same bedroom, engaged in sexual relations, shared a joint bank account and had a social life as husband and wife.

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Separation for Divorce

Separation is one of the no-fault grounds for divorce in Pennsylvania. A no-fault divorce simply means there has been an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Grounds for a divorce can be established if a one year separation period is established. One party would need to file an affidavit of separation setting forth the separation date. This affidavit is to be served on the other party along with a counter-affidavit. If no objection is made by the other party the date of separation as stated in the initial affidavit is accepted.

Separation does not mean the parties have to actually live separately from another. Many parties still reside in the same home but are considered to be “separate” based on the definition provided by the Divorce Code. Section 3103 of the Divorce Code defines “Separate and apart” as follows: Cessation of cohabitation, whether living in the same residence or not. In the event a complaint in divorce is filed and served, it shall be presumed that the parties commenced to live separate and apart not later than the date that the complaint was served.” Accordingly, the date the divorce complaint is filed will be accepted as the latest date of separation regardless of whether the parties continue to live together or not. However, the date of separation can be an even earlier date such as the date one party moves out of the marital home. Alternatively, even if the parties continue to reside together, a date of separation can be established when one party makes it clear to the other party that the marriage is over by stating so clearly or preferably putting it in writing. Be sure that the other party is keenly aware of your intended separation, especially if you will continue to reside together and/or hold off on filing for divorce.

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Jurisdiction for Custody

Pennsylvania abides by the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) in terms of determining where a custody case should be handled. The preferred method for establishing jurisdiction is based on the home state of the child. The homes state is defined as the state where the child had been living for at least six (6) months prior to the custody action or since birth if the child is less than six months old. If jurisdiction is not clear based on an analysis of the home state, the courts then look to see where there are significant connections and substantial evidence relevant to the custody action. Significant connections is more than just mere presence in any state.

Once a court obtains jurisdiction under one of guidelines above, that court continues to have exclusive jurisdiction until it is established that another court has become more suitable for jurisdiction. Accordingly, any modifications of custody must go through the court that made the initial or prior determination. If all parties and the child have moved from the jurisdiction where the initial custody order was established, there is a good chance the jurisdiction for the custody matter should change as well to the new home state of the child. There is an exception to the rules on jurisdiction in the event of an emergency. If a child is in danger and there is a need for immediate action, the jurisdiction where the child is located at that time can enter a temporary emergency order. The UCCJEA also provides a procedure for registration and enforcement of custody orders across state lines.

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Alimony and Tax Implications

Alimony is support paid after a divorce has finalized. Alimony is deductible from the party paying alimony and taxed as income to the party receiving it if it meets certain requirements established by the Internal Revenue Service. For starters, you need to make sure the specific terms of your alimony award are spelled out in a settlement agreement or court order. Second, alimony is intended to be a cash payment. There is some flexibility here however in that payments of bills on behalf of the recipient are still treated as “cash” payments to the recipient. For example, alimony can consist of payments to upkeep a property such as mortgage payments, taxes and insurance though only half of the payments would be deductible.

Alimony can include payments to a third party if designated that it is in lieu of alimony. Additionally, alimony can consist of payment of life insurance premiums for the other party. It is important to note that the parties cannot file a joint return when alimony is being paid and should not be residing in the same household. Finally, alimony must terminate upon the death of the receiving party so any payments required after death would not count as alimony. Child support, noncash property settlement, and payments on the property of the partying paying alimony or use of that party’s property do not count as alimony. Alimony can be direct pay to the recipient or via wage garnishment through Domestic Relations. The method of payment has no bearing on the tax implications for the parties.

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Asking for Custody if you are not a Parent

Parties other than parents and grandparents may be able to file for custody. Section 5324 of the Pennsylvania Domestic Relations laws discusses who has standing to file for legal and physical custody. First, a person who stands in loco parentis may file for custody. In loco parentis status means you are acting as a parent even though there isn’t the biological connection. It has been defined as an assumption of parental status as well as an actual discharge of parental duties giving rise to a relationship which is the same as between a natural parent and child. This requires more than just a frequent care-taker role.

A grandparent may be able to file for legal and physical custody if their relationship with the child began with the consent of the parents and they are willing to assume responsibility for the child. In addition, one of three conditions must be met. First, the child has been adjudicated dependent. This happens through a legal proceeding. Second, it is established that the child is at risk due to parental abuse, neglect, drug or alcohol use. Finally, if the child had resided with the grandparent for at least a year and is subsequently removed from the home then the grandparent can file for custody within six (6) months from the removal date. Grandparents can also see partial physical custody of their grandchildren under Section 5325 if they are unable to meet the requirements for standing under Section 5324.

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Changes to Military Retirement Benefits

Retirement benefits can be a substantial asset up for division in the context of a divorce action. The same is true in the case of military retirement benefits. There is a certain time requirement for service in order to be eligible for military retirement. Once this threshold is reached, a spouse is then entitled to their share of the military retirement benefits no matter how insignificant. Under the ten year rule, where the parties have been married for 10 years and the service member has accumulated 10 years of service, DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Services) can pay the spouse directly. When the ten year rule has not been met, the spouse can still receive a portion of the military retirement benefits however the service member will be responsible to pay the spouse themselves. A court can only award a division of a military pension if it has jurisdiction over the service member via residence, domicile or consent.

As of January 2018, the framework for military retirement benefits is changing. All new service members will automatically be enrolled into the blended retirement system which is a combination of the traditional military pension as well as a Thrift Savings Plan. Members with up to twelve years of service can elect to switch to the new blended retirement system. There is a new continuation pay option between years eight and twelve of service contingent on an additional three years of service and a new lump sum payment option. The new rules will also freeze members pay grade as of the time of divorce for use in calculating the marital portion of the pension. This will have the effect of reducing the share to the spouse.

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National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month. This is the 22nd year for recognition of National Adoption Month. It started as National Adoption Week in 1984 on the motion of then President Ronald Reagan. In 1995, President Clinton extended the recognition from a week to the entire month of November. This year’s initiative is finding homes for teenagers. Teenagers are often less likely to find a forever home due to their age however it is still vital for teens to establish stable connections as it reflects on their overall wellbeing and increases their likelihood for success as adults.

Pennsylvania participates in presentation of a proclamation every year regarding National Adoption Month pledging its commitment to make sure every child has a place to call home. Pennsylvania specifically recognizes the Statewide Adoption & Permanency Network and PA Adoption Exchange as organizations that work towards the overall goal of permanency for all children. In addition to a month-long awareness, a National Adoption Day is also recognized. This year Bucks County will celebrate National Adoption Day on November 17, 2017. PA estimates that currently there are approx. 2,500 children in foster care awaiting adoption. You can visit www.adoptpakids.org for more information on the adoption process as well as many of the children in need of a home.

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