What is an Involuntary Allotment Application a.k.a. DD Form 2653? Do I need to submit anything else?

Question

What is an Involuntary Allotment Application a.k.a. DD Form 2653? Do I need to submit anything else?

Answer

Wage garnishment for military members is possible but more complicated compared with civilian debtors. In the military, the creditor will still go through the garnishment proceedings to obtain the order to garnish a part of the debtor's wages. Usually, once the writ is issued and given to a debtor's employer, garnishment can already take place. However, the armed forces will not just accept a writ of garnishment to commence the payment. It requires the creditor to submit DD Form 2653, or the Involuntary Allotment Application – properly filled out. This form will be used by the military to correctly identify the person in question. The creditor should also three copies of the court's final judgment duly signed by the judge and not just a clerk of court. If a clerk signed the document, it will be rejected. You should contact a lawyer to review and file the application rather than risk getting it rejected during the review process.

The form is then reviewed by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. If there are mistakes in the filing, it will be denied. If there is none, the DFAS determines if the debtor's wage can be subjected to garnishment. For those that are qualified for garnishment, the serviceman is notified and given 15-30 days to respond to the application and file any exemption requests. Should the creditor gets a favorable ruling from the DFAS, the garnishment of wages can only take place 90 to 120 days after it was approved by the committee.

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