Do Veteran Disability Benefits Count as Income for Utah Child Support?

You would think that figuring out income for Utah child support would be easy, right?

Like everything in the law, it’s not as easy as it should be. Something things are included, and some things aren’t.

For instance, wages up to a forty-hour-per week job count, but not wages from a second twenty-hour-week job.

On the other hand, rental income from a trust would count as income.

Veteran Disability Benefits

There are quite a few veterans in Utah. Quite a few of those veterans served during the Iraq War (and other conflicts), and suffered injuries, which means they receive veteran disability benefits every month.

The question becomes: are those benefits counted as income when we calculating Utah child support?

The answer is yes they are.

Utah law specifically addresses these benefits and includes them in the definition of income:

“Income” means earnings, compensation, or other payment due to an individual, regardless of source, whether denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonus, pay, allowances, contract payment, or otherwise, including severance pay, sick pay, and incentive pay. “Income” includes:

(a) all gain derived from capital assets, labor, or both, including profit gained through sale or conversion of capital assets;

(b) interest and dividends;

(c) periodic payments made under pension or retirement programs or insurance policies of any type;

(d) unemployment compensation benefits;

(e) workers’ compensation benefits; and

(f) disability benefits.

What This Means

What this means is if you receive veteran disability benefits, then that amount will be tacked on your regular monthly wage (if you have one) when calculating child support.

So, If you make $5000 per month at your job, and you receive $2000 per month in disability benefits from the VA, your income for child support purposes would be $7000 per month.

Protect Your Money And Your Family

We remove fear associated with divorce, protect your money & maximize time with your kids!

We're here to help. Let's determine your best options.

Call Us 24//7 at 801-685-9999 to Speak with a Live Representative

Utah Divorce FAQs
Top 100 Divorce Blog
What Clients Are Saying…
BrownLaw icon
Excellent
Brown Family Law
Based on 949 reviews
Russell Yauney was my attorney at Brown Family Law. Throughout the process, Russell and his paralegal Conor, were extremely helpful and patient. They were highly responsive, thorough, and most importantly: did not make me feel insignificant or embarrassed for asking clarifying questions. Russell made himself available and whenever he wasn't, Conor was. The Friday Phone Calls were reliable and I knew I could expect an update each week. The firm's texting abilities also made it easy to send a quick question/concern if I ever needed it. Russell was a fantastic attorney and guide to have throughout my situation. I highly recommend this firm.
This law firm went above and beyond for me and my case. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing a good lawyer for custody issues.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Denney. So glad we could help.
Carren is absolutely amazing! Made things easy and always was helpful explaining.
Shout out to Carlos! Very nice, and knows the value of good legal representation.
Jennifer and Dani did a wonderful job handling my case. The communication and accessibility were top notch.
Brown Family Law is very professional. They use their phenomenal expertise to manage every case with care. I would highly recommend them.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Kim. Glad we could help.
Very thorough and on top of dates and timing for various documents.
My attorney Andrew Christensen was great! He was very helpful while being realistic and upfront with me at the initial consultation. He did a great job of guiding me and answering any questions I had throughout the whole process. My paralegal Carren Leavitt was also very helpful. I appreciated her weekly check-ins, for the aid she provided, and the questions answered.
Clay Randle provided exceptional support and counsel. He was patient, knowledgeable, and thoughtfully addressed my many questions and concerns. Thank you very much!
Paul and Dani were incredibly communicative, educational, willing to work with our unique circumstances, and took the whole process from complicated and overwhelming to simple. Highly recommend!!
yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7

Categories