Divorce and Army Pensions: understanding your options
Being a member of the British Army is stressful, and it is a career that can take unbearable tolls on a marriage. Understanding such pressures and realising what it can do to a relationship, means the fact that divorce rates are higher for military couples when measured up against civilian couples should come as no surprise. Regular overseas deployment certainly doesn’t help.
When a couple does decide to call it day, many factors play a role in the divorce proceedings, but for many military couples, one of the most important financial aspects concerns the army pension.
How to address an army pension during divorce proceedings
The first thing to remember is that when looking at any division of family assets, the army pension is considered part of those family assets – so needs to be considered when reaching a financial settlement.
Given that the Army pension is more often than not the primary income of a retired military professional, dealing with it properly is of utmost importance during divorce proceedings.
Getting the right valuation
There are two different types of military pension – and as a result, sadly, too many lawyers simply don’t get the right valuation. This can have an enormous impact on any financial settlement – so if you’re looking at divorce and this involves considering a pension built up during a lengthy army career, then don’t leave anything to chance – make sure that the divorce solicitor you appoint is a specialist in military divorce and really understands how to value a military pension.
Dealing with the army pension
The court does have the power to order part of the pension to be paid to the ex-spouse – under either what is known as an;
- Attachment Order or
- a Pension Sharing Order.
Getting the right legal advice locally, nationwide, or when deployed overseas
Whether you are currently serving in the British Army, have retired from the UK armed forces,or you are you are divorcing a soldier, you really do need specialist legal advice from lawyers who really understand the military.
Wherever you are based, we can help with your army divorce – whether you are near to our offices on Salisbury Plain, the South Coast or the Midlands, or indeed stationed anywhere else in the UK – or deployed overseas.
We can run your case using face-to-face interviews, or by email, phone or Skype video – which we find particular useful when dealing with troops stationed overseas.
What’s more, we offer
- a 10% discount to all serving and retired military personnel
- FREE initial phone advice
- FREE out of hours phone advice
- FREE first 30 minute appointment
Looking for specialist legal advice? Contact our lawyers today
• For a FREE initial phone consultation call our team on [01722] 422300 OR
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