Retaining Military Benefits After Divorce
Spouses of armed forces members know that the benefits they are afforded through their marriages are second to none.
The military takes care of its service members and, by extension, its service members' families, giving them full military benefits, which includes extensive health care options.
When an individual who is not a service member divorces his or her military spouse, that individual may be in danger of losing his or her benefits in the divorce.
For individuals who have come to rely on these benefits, the prospect of being without them can be life changing.
Luckily, the military realizes this and gives ex-spouses of military members the option to carry on with the benefits they enjoyed during marriage.
To determine how individuals will receive these benefits, though, the military has a marriage ranking system.
The first rank is 20/20/20.
This means that the service member served at least 20 years in the armed forces, was married to a non-service member for at least 20 years, and the individual's service and marriage overlapped for at least 20 years.
Non-military ex-spouses who were in 20/20/20 marriages qualify for lifetime benefits at no charge.
Non-military ex-spouses who were in 20/20/15 marriages, which is the same except for that the marriage and service only overlapped 15 years, qualify for one year of full benefits for free.
All other individuals will not receive their military benefits for free, but they can enroll in a temporary program that allows them to carry on with the health care and other services they were accustomed to for up to 60 months for a nominal fee.
The military takes care of its service members and, by extension, its service members' families, giving them full military benefits, which includes extensive health care options.
When an individual who is not a service member divorces his or her military spouse, that individual may be in danger of losing his or her benefits in the divorce.
For individuals who have come to rely on these benefits, the prospect of being without them can be life changing.
Luckily, the military realizes this and gives ex-spouses of military members the option to carry on with the benefits they enjoyed during marriage.
To determine how individuals will receive these benefits, though, the military has a marriage ranking system.
The first rank is 20/20/20.
This means that the service member served at least 20 years in the armed forces, was married to a non-service member for at least 20 years, and the individual's service and marriage overlapped for at least 20 years.
Non-military ex-spouses who were in 20/20/20 marriages qualify for lifetime benefits at no charge.
Non-military ex-spouses who were in 20/20/15 marriages, which is the same except for that the marriage and service only overlapped 15 years, qualify for one year of full benefits for free.
All other individuals will not receive their military benefits for free, but they can enroll in a temporary program that allows them to carry on with the health care and other services they were accustomed to for up to 60 months for a nominal fee.