Couples in the military who are divorcing may find that things operate a little differently than when civilian couples divorce. Although some of these differences are subtle, military couples should not expect their divorce to go the same way as couples who are civilians. One thing that may be similar to civilian divorces is the issues that couples will have to address during the divorce process. Along with having to discuss alimony, child support, and custody, couples may have to deal with property division, particularly the division of military pensions.
When a couple is divorcing and one spouse has a military pension, there is a chance that it will be divided between the two spouses. However, depending on the laws of the state in which the couple resides, it could also be considered sole property. This means that the owner of the pension will not be expected to divide it with their spouse if the two divorce.
The laws of the state can affect how other property and assets are divided as well. With this being the case, spouses may receive more or less property than what they were expecting to when the divorce is finalized. This doesn’t always end with each spouse being pleased with the court’s decision. Depending on how well the spouses may be getting along during the process, it may be possible for them to find an agreement with which they both are happy instead of risking being given less than they feel they deserve.
Certain issues in a military divorce are treated differently than those in a divorce between civilians. Couples who are in the military that are planning to divorce may want to speak to an attorney to have their questions answered about how military divorces work in their state. Things may be handled differently, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are more difficult, so you may still be able to get your divorce matters handled in a timely manner.