Understanding Military Pay Deployment Income Leave and Earnings Statements
The military leave and earnings statement (LES) is a comprehensive income statement provided to military members. There are three major areas that categorize what a service member has earned in a given month: entitlement, deductions and allotments. The LES plays a role in financial divorce issues. As a pay stub, it helps divorcing parties and family law courts determine income for the purposes of property division, child support and spousal support.
At Anthony C. Starks, Attorney at Law, I help clients involved in military divorces understand how military pay and retirement benefits factor into divorce settlements and decrees. A wide range of factors apply when dividing marital property or determining support in a military divorce. I can help you understand the issues and protect your interests, whether you are a military member or a military member's spouse. Click here to email me about your overseas divorce today.
Your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)
A leave and earnings statement includes three parts, breaking down the amount of compensation a service member receives each month:
- Entitlement: A service member's gross monthly pay often includes basic pay, basic allowance for housing and basic allowance for subsistence. Some service members also receive special pay and allowance, such as cost of living allowance, bonus pay and hazardous duty pay.
- Deductions: Like other paychecks, the LES lists deductions, such as federal and state taxes, Social Security, life insurance, and midmonth pay.
- Allotments: The LES includes a list of allotments, including allotments for savings accounts, checking accounts, loan payments, bonds and insurance.
As an experienced California military divorce attorney, I can help you decipher these parts of your (or your spouse's) leave and earnings statement and determine how they will impact the financial issues in your divorce.
Contact a San Diego Military Divorce Settlement Attorney
To learn more about how your military leave and earnings statement factors into your divorce, contact me today. No matter where you are in the world, I can help you resolve your legal concerns. Our San Diego Military divorce attorneys have helped clients all over the world including: Hawaii, Japan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Germany, Sicily, and Iran; no matter where you are, we can help you with your military divorce issues. Click here to email Tony today.
