Here are some answers to common questions regarding your military divorce. 
Please note: we provide free consultations to military service members and spouses. If you have questions or concerns regarding your particular situation 
we would be glad to speak with you @ (253) 512-1140.


Q: How does a military divorce differ from a civilian divorce?

A:  1. Military divorces can differ from civilian divorce cases when it comes to
        domicile or residence requirements for filing, obtaining service upon an active
        duty spouse, compliance with military rules and regulations, and the division
        of the military pension, often the largest asset. 

Q: Since I or my spouse are in the military can I or my spouse file for 
    divorce in Washington?

 A: 1. Most service members have been married in one state and have lived in
         several other states or countries. Washington law requires that at least one
         of the partners to the marriage be a Washington resident for at least 90
         days before filing the divorce action.

Q: How will custody of my child be determined in a military divorce?

A:  1. Military life - with TDY’s, deployments, and often long work hours -
         presents great obstacles to the single parent. That’s not to say that a
         parent on active duty cannot gain custody. The court will look closely at
         each parents demonstrated ability and willingness to care for the child. A
         mere desire to live with ones kid’s is not enough. The court will not consider
         whose “fault” the divorce resulted from, but will seek custody arrangements
         that are in the best interests of the child. For a serviceman who is married
         to a civilian to seek custody over the other parties wishes, he or she must
         have, at the very minimum, a clear plan for how the child will be cared for in
         the context of military life. For additional information concerning child
         visitation please see the general Child Custody section.

Q: How will my child’s visitation with the non-custodial parent be 
    determined in a military divorce?

A:  1. The familiar formula for non-custodial parent’s visiting the children “every
         other weekend” seldom works after PCS. Both parents have an interest in
         making visitation work; because of this the parenting plan in military 
         divorces must be tailor made to fit the family’s circumstances. 
         For additional information concerning child custody please see the general
         Child Custody section. 

Q: How will child support for my child be determined in a military divorce?

A:  1. Washington provides statutory guidelines for the calculation of child support
         payments. The calculation is determined by a formula which considers the
         income of both parents, as well as the cost of day care, if any.
         Unfortunately, there’s a bit more to it than calculating arithmetic. Crunching
         the numbers is easy. Deciding which numbers to use is harder. If Husband
         quits his high-paying job to start a business, and Wife gets a second job to
         make ends meet, which income figures should be used?
         In the military, base pay represents only a portion of the financial benefit
         received. Most of a soldier’s “pay” comes in the form of “allowances”. It’s
         generally accepted that all LES items are considered income for calculating
         child support. However, the child support order may itself change the 
         amount of the military member’s allowance entitlement. This is especially 
         true in cases in which both spouses are on active duty. 
         Determining proper child support in military cases demands clear thinking 
         and an understanding of the military pay system. 
         For additional information concerning child support please see the general
         Child Support section. 

Q: How can I expect alimony to be determined in a military divorce?

A:  1. Alimony (or “spousal maintenance”) is a periodic payment of money by one
         spouse to the other, usually on a monthly basis. Alimony is directed towards
         the well being of the receiving ex-spouse. Alimony may be awarded in order
         to give the receiving party an opportunity to look for a job, update work
         skills, stay at home with small children or attend school. The award of
         alimony is not automatic, and where the financial position of the parties is
         about equal, alimony may not be appropriate at all. Whether or not it will be
         awarded depends on the parties’ financial conditions, their earning capacity
         and the circumstances of the marriage. 
         For additional information concerning alimony please see the general 
         Alimony section. 

Q: How does a military divorce effect my base housing?

A:  1. If the service member no longer resides in quarters, his family must move off
         base. The family is provided time to move but will probably have to pay for
         the move itself. Once the member takes definite action (i.e renting an
         apartment or filing a divorce action), a termination letter should be sent to
         the housing office.

Q: How does a military divorce effect my basic allowance for housing?

A:  1. The old Basic Allowance for Quarters + Variable Housing Allowance system
         has been changed to a Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) System. Consult
         your Military Pay Office for details. Children still qualify as dependents for
         setting the BAH rate, even if the civilian parent has custody after the
         divorce. (If the service member pockets the increased BAH and fails to pay
         child support, he or she may face UCMJ punishment).
  
         How much support must a with-dependant rate BAH-receiving spouse pay to
         his estranged wife for spousal and child support? In the absence of a court
         order, Uncle Sam (in the guise of a unit commander) may require that the
         service member pay a portion of his check for support. There is significant
         variation of the amount to be paid. Generally, the minimum amount to be 
         paid would be the difference between the single rate and with dependent
         rate for the particular service member. Once court action is instituted the
         court order will set forth the support amount. 

Q: How does a military divorce effect my right to the military pension?

A:  1. The Uniformed Service Former Spouses’ Protection Act, passed by Congress
         in 1982, gives former spouses of military members the right to a share of 
         the military member’s retired pay. In Washington, a non-vested military
         pension is held to be marital property. The value of the military pension is
         based upon the amount available when the pension holder retires, not when
         the divorce occurs. For example, if a military couple divorces after 15 years
         of marriage and the husband is a major, and retires as a colonel after 26
         years of service, then the wife entitled to one-half of the monthly benefits
         at the time of the retirement as a colonel times 15/26. 

         Of course, no court can order a member to apply for retirement, or to retire
         at a particular time in order to effectuate any payment. However, the court
         can award the member’s spouse a share of retired pay which will become
         payable when the member retires. In practice, the member and the spouse
         may come to an agreement on the present value of the military pension and
         come to a settlement. This eliminates the uncertainty of when the spouse
         will receive money and enables both parties to get on with their lives. For
         additional information concerning property and debt distribution please see
         the general Property & Debt section, or call us today @ 253-512-1140. 

Q: How does a military divorce effect my Survivor’s Benefit Plan?

A:  1. SBP is a retired pay program which allows a retiring serviceman to provide 
         for the support of his/her spouse (and minor children) upon his/her death. 
         If he/she elects full spousal coverage, Uncle Sam deducts money from
         his/her retirement check every month. When the retiree dies, the military
         pays his/her surviving spouse 55% of his/her retired pay until he/she
         reaches age 62, when the amount is reduced to 35% of retired pay. 
     
         SBP can play an important role in military divorce cases. A divorced spouse
         can be covered by SBP. Coverage does not occur automatically, but the law
         recognizes an ex-husband/ex-wife as a potential beneficiary. This can be a
         hotly contested issue in a military divorce case, since payments for SBP
         coverage can take a big chunk out of a retirees check.

         There’s a one-year statute of limitations for doing military paperwork after
         the SBP coverage is awarded in a military divorce case. Just because the
         military continues to deduct the SBP premium after the divorce doesn’t 
         mean you are still covered. If an SBP “former spouse” request has not been
         filed with the proper military office, upon the death of the retiree Uncle Sam
         will simply refund the premiums to the deceased’s estate and pay the former
         spouse nothing. For additional information concerning property and debt
         distribution please see the general Property & Debt section. 

Q: How does a military divorce effect my SGLI?

A:  1. When service members designate their government insurance to be paid 
         “by law”, an ex-spouse is automatically excluded as a beneficiary. 
         The ex-spouse may be designated by name as a beneficiary (for example 
         to guarantee her an income after the termination of alimony upon his death)
         but there are hidden hazards in this practice. There is a natural tendency 
         for a service member to forget about court-required insurance and revert
         back to the “by law” designation. 

         Unlike commercial insurance, SGLI will be paid to the “by law” beneficiary
         even if the court order says otherwise. If a party is required to maintain 
         SGLI coverage for the spouse or children, it’s a good idea to require that he
         or she also execute a special power of attorney authorizing the other party
         to examine in his or her military records to ensure that the beneficiary
         election does not, through choice or mistake, revert to the “by law” election.
         For additional information concerning property and debt distribution 
         please see the general Property & Debt section. 

Q: How does a military divorce affect my will and other documentation?

A:  1. Divorce alters the legal effect of wills made during the marriage. 
         Both wills should be rewritten. This is a good time to review all your
         documents, including life insurance beneficiaries, “pay on death” 
         beneficiaries on certificates of deposit, emergency data cards at work, 
         and powers of attorney.