Getting Help Facing the Unique Challenges of Military Divorce
The common marital challenges that lead to divorce can often be magnified for military couples. The high stress conditions of military service and extended deployments of one or both spouses are emotionally taxing. When there are children involved and one anchor parent has to alternate between being a single or co-parent, it creates unique challenges for military families that sometimes prove to be too great—and financial strain can make things worse.
Things you should know about going ahead with a divorce
The Uniformed Services Former Spouse’s Protection Act, or USFSPA, is a federal statute that provides guidance on following state statutes for spousal and child support. However, military pension and retirement can be classified as property and not income, which affects the distribution of marital assets in a divorce proceeding.
The calculation of direct retirement payments can also be very complicated, depending on the amount of time the couple was married and how long one spouse was in the military during that time.
Further complicating matters is that different states have different rules for deciding how long you were married and what portion will be divided in a divorce proceeding. For example, Texas may judge you to have been married for nine years, but another state may view the span at 10 years.
In addition, different branches of the armed forces have different divorce laws. Deployments, especially overseas, can delay the proceedings. Partnering with an attorney who understands the unique circumstances of military divorce can help those in these situations to move more smoothly through a difficult process.
Military divorce in Texas
The attorneys at Grable Grimshaw PLLC have helped many San Antonio military families navigate the complexities of divorce, custody, property division and spousal support. Our attorneys have backgrounds in the military, and so have a unique understanding of the special complexities of military divorce proceedings. To learn more about the issues faced by military spouses in divorce, visit our military divorce page.