(A) If a military parent is called to military service, either parent may file a notice of activation of military service and petition to modify a support order. In the petition, the parent must cite the basis for modifying the support order and the military parent’s change in financial circumstances supporting the petition.

(B) The court shall temporarily modify the amount of child support for the duration of the military parent’s military service based on changes in income and earning capacity of the military parent during military service. An increase or decrease in income or earning capacity of a military parent due to military service only may be used to calculate support during the period of military service and must not be considered a permanent increase in wages or earning capacity. The effective date for a temporary modification must be the date the military parent begins military service.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 63-5-930

  • Child: means a person under the age of eighteen. See South Carolina Code 63-1-40
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Parent: means biological parent, adoptive parents, step-parent, or person with legal custody. See South Carolina Code 63-1-40

(C) Upon return from military service, the military parent’s child support obligation prior to a temporary modification is automatically reinstated, effective on the date the military parent is released from service. Within ninety days of the military parent’s release from service, either parent may make a subsequent request for modification to correspond to a change in the military parent’s nonservice-related income or earning capacity. A modification must be based upon the income or earning capacity of the military parent following the period of military service.

(D) Except for modifying a child support obligation during military service pursuant to this section, a military parent’s income during military service must not be used to determine the military parent’s income or earning capacity.