John Schneider’s divorce dispute has reached a costly turning point, with the actor acknowledging a multimillion-dollar debt. The Dukes of Hazzard star admitted he owes his ex-wife, Elvira Schneider, approximately $3.7 million in unpaid spousal support.
However, Schneider continues to fight one part of the collection effort. He has asked the court to protect half of his Social Security benefits, arguing that losing that income would make it harder to manage his monthly expenses.
John Schneider says losing half his benefits would hurt his finances
Schneider’s latest court filing sheds light on why he previously disputed the support payments. As reported by TMZ, the actor explained that separate divorce proceedings in California and Louisiana had caused confusion over the validity of the California support order.
Although he now acknowledges the debt, Schneider is asking the court to prevent his ex-wife from collecting half his Social Security benefits.
In his filing, Schneider said he was not “financially capable of satisfying the accumulated arrearages.” He argued that diverting half his benefits would “substantially affect the resources available” to cover his monthly expenses.
Meanwhile, Celebrity Net Worth estimates Schneider’s fortune at roughly $200,000, considerably less than the amount he owes. However, such estimates do not necessarily reflect someone’s available cash.
The former couple separated in 2014 after 21 years of marriage. In 2019, a court ordered Schneider to pay Elvira $25,000 per month in spousal support.
Elvira has spent years trying to collect the payments. She previously claimed Schneider owed more than $2.3 million in unpaid support, along with approximately $1 million in interest. Although he initially disputed the amount, his latest filing acknowledges the roughly $3.7 million debt.
Schneider rose to fame as Bo Duke on CBS’ “The Dukes of Hazzard,” which aired from 1979 to 1985. He later played Jonathan Kent, Clark Kent’s adoptive father, on “Smallville.” The actor also appeared in Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and the Have Nots” and pursued a career in country music.
The court has yet to rule on his request to protect half his Social Security benefits.
