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Last Modified on May 11, 2026
Military service often requires sacrifices that impact nearly every area of a service member’s life. While many parents willingly make these sacrifices to care for their country, they should also understand how military deployment can affect child support orders in Tennessee. Deployment may change a parent’s income, parenting schedule, or communication structure with their child, which can impact a current child support order.
Military families often call Clarksville home after being stationed at Fort Campbell. Fort Campbell soldiers frequently travel between Clarksville and nearby towns on Interstate 24, juggling their military duties with their commitments to their families and children. Deployment notices can create stress for both parents, but if one parent is absent for an extended period, child support is often a pressing question.
About Mathis, Bates & Klinghard PLLC (MBK Legal)
At MBK Legal, we proudly serve Tennessee and Kentucky families who live in Clarksville and the surrounding communities, including many military families. We believe that clients deserve knowledgeable attorneys who are responsive to their concerns, so we use modern technology to provide tailored legal services to meet their needs.
We understand that military service can make family law issues unique, especially when deployments or military orders impact normal parenting time or financial responsibilities. MBK Legal is committed to making ourselves available and providing the undivided attention our clients deserve throughout a child support case.
Relevant Tennessee Child Support Laws
In the United States, there were 1,495,107 active-duty family members. Of these, 34% have children, and 41.1% of these children are aged 5 and under. This shows the importance of determining child support when military deployment becomes a reality for families.
Tennessee child support orders are usually calculated according to the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines. The guideline calculations take into account each parent’s income, along with the number of children that they have, healthcare costs, childcare expenses, and parenting time.
Once established by the court, child support orders are legally binding until properly modified by the court. Deployment does not automatically terminate or change an existing child support obligation. If there has been a substantial change in circumstances since the child support order was entered, the service member can request that the court modify the order.
Parents in Montgomery County may have their child support orders entered through the Montgomery County Chancery Court, 2 Millennium Plaza, Suite 101, Clarksville, TN 37040. Montgomery County may consider requests to modify an existing order if there has been a change in circumstances that meets the court’s criteria.
How Deployment Affects Income
Deployment can affect a service member’s income in many ways. Some deployments offer additional compensation, such as hazardous duty pay, family separation allowance, and other military pay.
Some deployments increase your total income. Other deployments may offer allowances that are not considered income for purposes of calculating child support. Family courts typically look at the service member’s overall financial circumstances when determining if a modification is warranted.
Service members should know that child support calculations are greatly affected by their income. Significant shifts in your income, even if they’re only for a short time, can influence your child support situation. Courts typically analyze whether the change in income is significant enough to warrant a modification of the support order.
How Deployment Affects Child Support Orders
How deployment affects child support can vary based on many factors. If deployment causes a change in financial situation or parenting time, child support could be impacted. Depending on the situation, this increase or decrease in pay could factor into a request to modify a child support order under Tennessee law.
Deployment could also affect parenting time. If your child’s other parent is deployed and cannot fulfill their normal visitation, you may need to temporarily adjust your parenting plan to have sole custody until your child’s other parent returns. While the courts in Tennessee typically view child support and visitation as two separate issues, changes in parenting time can affect child support in some cases.
Long deployments can also introduce new expenses for both parents. The parent who is deployed may need to pay for communication with their child. If the child resides with one parent full-time while their other parent is deployed, the non-deployed parent may experience higher childcare or transportation costs.
FAQs
Do I Have to Pay Child Support If I’m in the Military?
Yes, being in the military does not relieve you of having to pay child support. Whether you are on active duty, a reservist, or even retired, a service member can be ordered to pay child support. Military pay may be used as income for purposes of calculating support. Withholding payments from income is used to enforce child support when allowed.
Can I Set Up DFAS to Garnish Child Support Out of My Military Retired Pay?
Yes. DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Service) may accept child support assignments (garnishments) from military retired pay if a valid court order or income withholding order is received. Military retired pay can be used for the enforcement of child support payments by order of the federal government. Active-duty service members who are nearing retirement should take action to maintain support.
Does Deployment Automatically Change My Child Support Amount?
No, deployment is not an automatic adjustment to a child support obligation. Orders continue as they are until changed by the court. If income, parenting time, or another factor changes significantly due to deployment, then you should file with the Tennessee court that issued the order for a formal modification.
What Happens If I Fall Behind on Child Support While I’m Deployed?
If you fall behind on your child support, enforcement action can happen while you are deployed. Arrearages typically accrue until they are paid off, and they may be collected via income withholding or through other enforcement remedies. If you are having financial problems, take care of them as they occur, and don’t fall behind on support payments.
Hire a Child Support Lawyer Today
Active-duty deployments are a reality for military families in Clarksville and throughout the country. Fort Campbell keeps these situations prevalent in our area. However, when you hire a child support lawyer, they can help parents plan for these circumstances. A Tennessee child support attorney at Mathis, Bates & Klinghard PLLC (MBK Legal) can provide detailed counsel for your situation. Contact us today for more information.
