Dear Ms. Vicki,
I am married to someone in the military ... and she refuses to set up an allotment. So what do I do?
Sincerely,
LowBlow
Dear LowBlow,
Your wife has to be willing to set up a monthly allotment for you. She cannot be forced to do so. On the other hand, she is the service member and you are her family member. She cannot leave you destitute and without resources.
What's going on? Are you working? Are you separated? Is she stationed at another location? Again, she should be helping out financially in any case, but it doesn't have to be in the form of an allotment. You may want to consider involving her commanders if this has been an ongoing issue. I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Ms. Vicki
Curious About Allotments?
An allotment is a payroll deduction -- money that goes somewhere separate from the rest of the paycheck. Some service members use this to pay a loan, child support or just to put a percentage of their pay directly into a savings account.
There are two types of allotments: discretionary and non-discretionary. Service members are limited to six discretionary allotments and 15 total allotments. Discretionary allotments are voluntary, such as depositing an amount into a spouse or child's account. Non-discretionary are allotments that cannot be stopped by the service member. These may include repayment of a loan to a relief agency; child or spousal support; or government indebtedness.
Only the service member can set up the allotment -- even if a spouse has a general power of attorney. For more information on allotments, refer to the Defense Financial and Accounting Service website.
Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life
For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox.
