If you are going through a divorce, you already have a lot of things on your mind. You don’t want to have to worry about how this change can affect your security clearance status, but unfortunately, it can.
Background investigations pry into some of the most intimate details of your life, and your divorce is no more private than anything else under review. In fact, your divorce can even negatively affect your security clearance status, which means you should be on guard and know what can lay ahead.
How Divorce Can Impact Your Security Clearance
You must report your divorce to the appropriate supervisor or security officer and list it on your SF-86. You might wonder why you have to report your divorce at all. In a bygone era, divorce in and of itself might have said something about your moral character. Thankfully, the reasons for disclosing your divorce are much more pragmatic these days.
Divorce puts new, untested strains on you that can negatively affect your financial situation and character, at least in ways that might concern the government. If you are ordered to pay spousal support or child support and don’t, your character could be called into question for violating a court order. Likewise, your financial situation might come under scrutiny if it turns out you can’t pay support.
What You Should Do If You Need Help
If you believe your security clearance is at risk because of your divorce, you can reach out to our legal team at Claery & Hammond, LLP for help. Our lawyers have the experience and knowledge necessary to help our clients navigate potential conflicts involving their security clearance job prospects and issues like divorce that might affect them.
Learn more about what our advocates can help you with by arranging a consultation. Call Claery & Hammond at (877) 362-3176 or contact us online to get started.
