Veteran chooses jail over giving his disability money to ex-wife

Article here. Excerpt:

'A Suncoast veteran went to jail Wednesday in order to keep all of his VA disability check. It's all because he and his wife are divorcing and she wants half.

Under federal law, the money is exempt from alimony payments. But state law says she may be entitled to it.

Terry Lynn says he wants to set a precedent to help all veterans in similar situations. He is on full disability from injuries he suffered while serving as a Marine during the Gulf War, but is now going through a divorce battle with his wife he met after his time in the military.

He says she wants nearly half of what he gets: $1,500 of the roughly $3,000 he says he receives a month.
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ABC 7 contacted the National Veterans Legal Service Program in Washington D.C. They say it's an issue which has been argued across the country. U.S. Title 38 says VA benefits are exempt from taxation, claims of creditors, and other legal processes. It makes no exception for alimony.

Lynn says Florida courts, though, are not following it. “Florida law does allow for alimony. What they are doing is putting state law over federal law. To get around it they don't say you have to give your VA check. They say you have to pay alimony and they don't care where you get it from."'