10/10 Rule for Military Divorce
What is the 10/10 Rule for Military Divorce?
The so-called “10/10 Rule” or 10-Year Rule is a source of confusion for many individuals when dealing with a military divorce. Some believe it requires a couple to be married for 10 years before a spouse has a right to any portion of a service member’s military retirement. Others believe it requires the parties be married for ten years during active duty service before a spouse is entitled to any portion of military retirement.
Each of those beliefs about the 10/10 rule for military divorce is wrong.
How the 10/10 Rule for Military Divorce Works
The 10 Year Rule has nothing to do with a state court’s authority to treat military retired pay as a marital asset to be divided upon divorce. Even though it is part of the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act (which authorizes state courts to divide military retired pay as a marital asset), the 10-Year Rule only affects how the former spouse receives the share of military retired pay to which he or she is entitled pursuant to a divorce.
The first “10” of the 10/10 Rule requires a couple to have been married for at least ten years. The second “10” requires the military spouse to have served at least 10 years of service creditable towards retirement during the marriage. If both these conditions are met, then the Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) may directly pay a former spouse his or her share of military retired pay.
If the 10-Year Rule is not met, then the military spouse must provide the former spouse his or her share directly, which could be done by mailing a check, setting up an allotment or automatic payment, or some similar method.
What is the purpose of the 10-Year Rule?
Essentially, the 10-Year Rule exists to allow DFAS to avoid administering small divisions of military retired pay. It does not limit or define what share the spouse may receive from the service member’s retirement; it simply establishes when DFAS may pay that share directly to the spouse.
As a practical matter, it is often best for both parties if DFAS can administer the division of military retirement. The receiving spouse will have taxes and other deductions taken out by DFAS, and the military spouse will not have to write out a check every month.
Please contact us at our Delaware County law office and let one of our experienced attorneys help you navigate through the military divorce process. We are located in Media, Pennsylvania.