We recently devoted a post here on our Dallas family law blog to the subject of military retirement pay in a divorce. Just as military laws apply to this element of a separation, they also apply in a number of other situations. It’s often helpful for military couples ending their marriage to seek out a family law professional with experience in this field, for reasons we’ll explore below.
For one thing, as we noted last week, military retirement benefits are in many cases a significant asset to handle during property division. A spouse who wants to claim that he or she is entitled to a portion of these must take legal action in order to begin the process of determining what percentage of the retirement pay may be awarded. This will involve a qualified domestic relations order, a process where a legal professional’s insight and guidance can be beneficial.
A legal professional will also be on top of the latest developments in state law that may apply to a military divorce. For example, here in Texas, the law recently changed to stipulate that family members of servicemen and women on active deployment may regularly visit that person’s children. The underlying goal here is to maintain the bond between a parent on active duty and his or her children, although readers may see how this could raise concerns for a custodial parent depending on how things went during and immediately after the divorce.
Readers may find more helpful information on this subject on our Dallas military divorce lawyer page. A legal professional will be able to advise custodial parents of their rights regarding child custody and visitation in a military divorce.