A military divorce in Gig Harbor, Washington, can cause major stress, emotional trauma, and the loss of your future, your rights to see your children, and your financial stability. A divorce can happen to anyone, and unfortunately that includes members of our military. A military divorce shares many similarities with a civilian divorce, but it’s important to remember the key differences that can set your case apart from anyone else’s. No two divorces are totally the same: there are assets and arguments and a completely unique marriage to keep track of, and without the help of a divorce lawyer, you could run the risk of losing everything you’ve worked hard to build for your family.

When it comes to a military divorce, you’ll oftentimes be forced to decide what’s most important to you. As in other divorces, you risk losing the right to see your children frequently, or your assets (such as real estate, personal property, businesses, etc.). You’ll also need to pay spousal support after your divorce, which is intended to ensure quality of life for your ex after the divorce is finalized. However, in a military divorce, you also run the risk of losing a large amount of your pension, which can complicate your ability to plan for your future. Your children, your pension, and your spousal support are three major considerations for your divorce, and you risk losing one or all of these if your divorce goes poorly.

About Pensions:

Your pension is a key to financial stability after you leave the military. A pension ensures a comfortable retirement, but it’s also at risk in a military divorce in Gig Harbor, WA. Members of the armed forces can receive a pension after they’ve put in twenty years of service (or acquired the necessary points, in the case of the National Guard). However, in a divorce, your ex can be entitled to a sizeable portion of your pension, leading to difficulties adjusting to retired life. Why is this the case? Unfortunately, not everything you earn is fully yours after you get married.

In a divorce, there are two types of assets to keep track of: separate property and marital property. Separate property includes property that is acquired before your marriage. This can include assets you collected before tying the knot, but it also extends to cover any inheritances left in your name, or gifts given to you by your spouse over the course of your marriage. Separate property is typically safe in the event of a divorce, but marital property is a completely different story. Marital property includes all assets acquired during the course of your marriage, and is fair game in the event of a divorce. And since a pension is intended to kick in after your retirement and is contributed to while you are married, it counts as marital property.

Protect Your Future with Robinson and Shaheed

Nobody wants to be left scrambling for pennies after their retirement. If you’re anticipating a bitter divorce, it pays to be prepared. A military divorce can mean being forced to choose between your kids, your pension, or hefty spousal support payments – and that’s a position that nobody should ever be forced into. Get help with your military divorce in Gig Harbor, WA, and reach out to Robinson and Shaheed today.

If you’re a service member, you have come to the right place. Shannon Hadeed has over a decade of experience in military divorce, and understands the nuances of military law. You have unique challenges that civilians don’t when they want to split up. For example, we understand how important retirement and disability pay are when it comes to military divorce. Our Gig Harbor office is near Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Jeffrey A. Robinson served as the legal counsel for the Washington State Veterans Home, Retsil, from 1977 to 1994. While practicing law in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Shannon Hadeed worked near many military bases, including a Naval Air Station, Army bases, Air Corps base and Marine Corps base. In recognition of her stellar representation, one of her clients had a Navy oar commissioned for her, complete with a plaque of commendation. Her grandfather, Major Rudolph Webster, a decorated Army veteran from the Korean War and Vietnam, taught her marital arts and trained her for law enforcement competitions in firearms when she was an Assistant District Attorney.  She shares this short case story: