Can my ex wife get half of my VA disability?

Asked by: Jamir Brown  |  Last update: February 19, 2022
Score: 4.1/5 (10 votes)

No. Federal law – specifically, the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act, found at 10 U.S.C. §1408 – exempts VA disability payments from division upon divorce. It is not an asset which can be divided at divorce as marital or community property.

Can VA disability be split in divorce?

As stated above, VA disability compensation cannot be divided between spouses in a state divorce court. If a service member waives any portion of military retired pay in exchange for VA disability, the amount waived is subtracted from the amount available to the former spouse.

Can my ex wife touch my VA disability?

If you fail to make alimony (spousal support) and child support benefits, the state can sometimes order your VA benefits to be garnished. ... However, your VA disability compensation cannot be garnished at all unless you waived part of your military retired pay in order to receive VA disability benefits.

Can spouse get half of VA disability?

VA Disability Payments Cannot Be Divided as Property in a Divorce. Federal law does not authorize states to treat VA disability payments as marital property and divide them in a dissolution of marriage action.

What is a divorced military spouse entitled to?

After divorce, the former spouse is entitled to the Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP), which is the Tricare version of “COBRA” for three years. And as long as the spouse remains unmarried and was also awarded a share of the military retirement or SBP, the former spouse may remain on CHCBP for life.

Divorce in the Military: Can My Spouse Take My Military Retirement or VA Disability Benefits?

20 related questions found

Can an ex wife get VA benefits?

The Department of Defense Continued Healthcare Benefit is available to ex-spouses who do not meet either the 20/20/20 or 20/20/15 rules. They may apply for coverage within 60 days after losing eligibility to receive health insurance through the veteran and retain it for up to three years.

How much of my military retirement is my ex wife entitled to?

The maximum amount of pension income an ex-spouse can receive is 50% of the military retirement pay. Once the order is filed with DFAS, it will take three months (90 days) for the direct payments to begin if the ex-spouse is already receiving their pension.

Can a divorced spouse of a veteran get a VA loan?

Their spouse only receives the benefit of the loan as long as they're married unless the military member passes away. In this case, the spouse may be considered a qualified borrower. Once the divorce happens, the spouse loses all rights to use or apply for a VA loan.

How do I take my spouse off the VA disability?

Simply log into your eBenefits account, click “Add or Remove Dependents” under the “Apply” section on the home page, and select “Update Dependents.” Q: What if my spouse is also a Veteran with a 30% or higher disability rating?

Does a military spouse keep benefits after divorce?

For every other military spouse divorcee, there simply are no military benefits after divorce. Your benefits end the day your divorce is final. However, if you have children together, they will still qualify for military benefits, even if you haven't been married more than 20 years and even if you remarry.

How long do you have to be married to get half of his military retirement?

However, in order for the Department of Defense to make direct payments of a military member's retired pay to the former spouse, the former spouse must have been married to the military member for a period of at least 10 years, with at least 10 years of the marriage overlapping a period of military service creditable ...

Can ex wife claim my military pension years after divorce?

No, there is no Federal law that automatically entitles a former spouse to a portion of a member's military retired pay. ... First, it authorizes (but does not require) State courts to divide military retired pay as a marital asset or as community property in a divorce proceeding.

What age does VA disability stop?

Veterans who are already collecting disability compensation as of January 2020 would see no reduction in their VA disability benefits when they reach age 67.

Does VA disability count as income in a divorce?

Federal law is very clear that VA disability benefits are not a marital asset. That legal guidance is found in the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA), which exempts VA disability benefits from being considered marital property. ... VA benefits can be considered a source of income to the veteran.

How Much Does VA disability pay for spouse?

If you're a Veteran with a 30% disability rating, and you have a dependent spouse (no dependent parents or children), your monthly basic rate would be $522.39 each month.

What benefits to surviving spouses of veterans get?

Survivors of veterans who served during wartime can apply to receive a tax-free VA Survivors Pension, a monthly payment to surviving spouses with modest incomes who have not remarried. The benefit is also available to unmarried dependent children of wartime veterans.

Does VA loan require spouse credit check?

However, it's a fortunate fact of VA home loans that there is no minimum credit score requirement. ... Your spouse's credit score and debts won't be counted on the application, as long as you don't live in a community property state.

How do I get half of my ex husband's military retirement?

Complete the DD Form 2293, Application for Former Spouse Payments from Retired Pay, a simple 2-page form. Complete a DFAS-CL Form 1059, Direct Deposit Authorization so DFAS can pay the retirement directly to a bank account. Complete an IRS Form W4-P, Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments.

How do I protect my military pension in a divorce?

The law only allows division of “disposable retired pay,” which means the full military pension minus certain deductions. VA disability compensation is not a part of the military pension, and a court, therefore, cannot divide it between divorcing spouses as it could divide, for example, bank accounts and IRAs.

What is the VA 10 year rule?

The VA disability 10-year rule states that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cannot eliminate a disability rating that has been in place for at least 10 years unless there is evidence of fraud. This 10-year period is calculated from the effective date of VA's original grant for service connection.

What is the VA 5 year rule?

The VA disability rating 5-year rule states that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cannot reduce a veteran's disability rating if it has been in place for five years or more unless the condition shows sustained improvement over time. In this situation, the veteran's rating is considered a stabilized rating.

Is VA disability pay for life?

VA disability is usually not for life. ... With this designation, you'll receive VA disability benefits for life (absent a finding of fraud). VA reserves permanent and total disability for the most extreme situations. Most VA disability recipients can expect periodic reexaminations.

What is the 10 10 Rule military?

In this case, “10/10” refers to the length of time the couple must be married in order for the ex-spouse to be eligible for this, and the service member must serve a minimum of 10 years of military service to be “eligible” under this rule. 10 years of marriage, 10 years of service = 10/10.

How long do you have to be married to receive spouse's pension?

To receive a spouse benefit, you generally must have been married for at least one continuous year to the retired or disabled worker on whose earnings record you are claiming benefits.

Can a divorced woman get ex husband's Social Security?

If you are divorced, your ex-spouse can receive benefits based on your record (even if you have remarried) if: Your marriage lasted 10 years or longer. ... You are entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits.