Military Wives and Divorce

Military wives have special considerations when it comes to divorce. There are military benefits that you may be entitled to (even if your spouse is the active service member), but you have to know about them to be able to ask for them.

There is lots to know about divorcing a military husband, so I invited Lacey Langford, the Military Money Expert to be on my Find Me The Money podcast. We talked through some of the most important financial considerations for a military wife going through a divorce.

Lacey is more than qualified to talk on all things military and finances. As an Army brat herself, a veteran, a financial coach, and military spouse, Lacey knows just about everything you need to know if you're going through a divorce and the military is involved.

We talked about things like the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA), rules like 20/20/20 for receiving benefits in a divorce, and protections the SCRA provides service members during divorce. And most importantly, we talk about how military wives can financially protect themselves in marriage.

What Is the USFSPA?

The USFSPA is the legal framework for how and why military retirement pay is a marital asset that can be divided in the event of a divorce. It allows state courts to divide this asset, and the Act provides a method to enforce the orders through the Department of Defense.

What is The 20/20/20 Rule?

The 20/20/20 rule allows an ex-spouse to retain certain military benefits even after the divorce. It requires at a minimum of twenty years of marriage, a minimum twenty years of military service, and a minimum of twenty years of overlap of the marriage and the military service. If those requirements are met, you can continue with TRICARE, PX, and Commissary privileges after the divorce.

VA Disability Benefits and Divorce

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to VA disability benefits and divorce. It can be confusing to know whether or not you're entitled to any portion of your ex-husband's disability payments after the divorce. Lacey and I talked through military pensions and disability benefits, so  head over to our podcast to hear this and more.

If you're a military wife and you're getting divorced, I want you to know all of your rights. The financial impacts of divorce can be even more devastating for a military wife, so I put together this episode with Lacey to help you learn some of the most important things you need to know... so that you don't leave money on the table in your divorce.