--- kind: "section" citation: "42 U.S.C. § 665" title: "42" title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare" number: "665" heading: "Allotments from pay for child and spousal support owed by members of uniformed services on active duty" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/665" units: - "Chapter 7 — Social Security" - "Subchapter IV — Grants to States for Aid and Services to Needy Families with Children and for Child-Welfare Services" - "Part D — Child Support and Establishment of Paternity" --- # §665. Allotments from pay for child and spousal support owed by members of uniformed services on active duty - (a) **Mandatory allotment; notice upon failure to make; amount of allotment; adjustment or discontinuance; consultation—** - (1) In any case in which [child](/usc/42/1382c.md?p=c) support payments or [child](/usc/42/1382c.md?p=c) and spousal support payments are owed by a member of one of the uniformed services (as defined in [section 101(3) of title 37](/usc/37/101.md?p=3)) on active duty, such member shall be required to make allotments from his pay and allowances (under [chapter 13](/usc/37/chch13.md) of title 37) as payment of such support, when he has failed to make periodic payments under a support order that meets the criteria specified in [section 1673(b)(1)(A) of title 15](/usc/15/1673.md?p=b-1-A) and the resulting delinquency in such payments is in a total amount equal to the support payable for two months or longer. Failure to make such payments shall be established by notice from an authorized [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3) (as defined in [subsection (b)](#b)) to the designated official in the appropriate uniformed service. Such notice (which shall in turn be given to the affected member) shall also specify the [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3) to whom the allotment is to be payable. The amount of the allotment shall be the amount necessary to comply with the order (which, if the order so provides, may include arrearages as well as amounts for current support), except that the amount of the allotment, together with any other amounts withheld for support from the [wages](/usc/42/409.md?p=a) of the member, as a percentage of his pay from the uniformed service, shall not exceed the limits prescribed in sections[^1] 1673(b) and (c) of title 15. An allotment under this subsection shall be adjusted or discontinued upon notice from the authorized [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3). - (2) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subsection, no action shall be taken to require an allotment from the pay and allowances of any member of one of the uniformed services under such provisions (A) until such member has had a consultation with a judge advocate of the service involved (as defined in [section 801(13) of title 10](/usc/10/801.md?p=13)), or with a judge advocate (as defined in [section 801(11)](/usc/42/801.md)[^2] of such title) in the case of the Coast Guard, or with a legal officer designated by the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) concerned (as defined in [section 101(5) of title 37](/usc/37/101.md?p=5)) in any other case, in [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3), to discuss the legal and other factors involved with respect to the member’s support obligation and his failure to make payments thereon, or (B) until 30 days have elapsed after the notice described in the second sentence of [paragraph (1)](#a-1) is given to the affected member in any case where it has not been possible, despite continuing good faith efforts, to arrange such a consultation. - (b) **“Authorized person” defined—** For purposes of this section the term “authorized [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3)” with respect to any member of the uniformed services means— - (1) any agent or attorney of a [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) having in effect a plan approved under this part who has the duty or authority under such plan to seek to recover any amounts owed by such member as [child](/usc/42/1382c.md?p=c) or [child](/usc/42/1382c.md?p=c) and spousal support ([including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b), when authorized under the [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) plan, any official of a political subdivision); and - (2) the court which has authority to issue an order against such member for the support and maintenance of a [child](/usc/42/1382c.md?p=c), or any agent of such court. - (c) **Regulations—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) of Defense, in the case of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) concerned (as defined in [section 101(5) of title 37](/usc/37/101.md?p=5)) in the case of each of the other uniformed services, shall each issue regulations applicable to allotments to be made under this section, designating the officials to whom notice of failure to make support payments, or notice to discontinue or adjust an allotment, should be given, prescribing the form and content of the notice and specifying any other rules necessary for such [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) to implement this section. ## Footnotes [^1]: So in original. Probably should be “section”. [^2]: See References in Text note below. ## Source credit (Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 465, as added Pub. L. 97–248, title I, § 172(a), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 401; amended Pub. L. 109–241, title II, § 218(b)(2), July 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 526.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text Section 801(11) of title 10, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), was repealed by Pub. L. 109–241, title II, § 218(a)(1), July 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 526. However, “judge advocate” is defined elsewhere in that section. ### Amendments 2006—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 109–241 substituted “judge advocate” for “law specialist”. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date Pub. L. 97–248, title I, § 172(b), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 403, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall become effective on October 1, 1982.” ### Transfer of Functions For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.