What Do I Need to Do After My Military Divorce Is Final?

Start with the entered judgment and a calendar. Write down when marital status ends, which orders still need to be prepared or submitted, and who will handle each step. If the court ended the marriage while reserving financial issues, check exactly what remains pending.

Who sends the retirement order to the pay center?

Identify the operative retirement award and the pay center responsible for it. For an application to DFAS under the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act, check the agency’s instructions for DD Form 2293 and the clerk-certified order. Assign responsibility for obtaining the necessary copies, submitting the packet, and retaining confirmation. Follow up on any letter asking for clarification. When payments start, compare the first payment with the award and keep a record of payments made directly while the application was pending. DFAS application instructions

Which deadline applies to survivor coverage?

Read the provision on the Survivor Benefit Plan separately from the pension division. Identify who will act, which election or request applies, and what event starts the deadline. DFAS explains that a former spouse seeking a deemed election must submit the request within one year of the court order requiring coverage. The member’s election has its own rules. Keep proof of delivery and obtain confirmation of the beneficiary category actually on file. DFAS deemed-election instructions

When should I verify health coverage?

Confirm the coverage end date for each affected person and update DEERS after divorce. If you expect to purchase CHCBP, TRICARE gives eligible applicants 60 days from loss of eligibility to purchase coverage. Put the children’s plan changes on separate lines and identify who will arrange enrollment. TRICARE divorce guidance · CHCBP purchase instructions

What else should I verify after judgment?

Check the due date and payment route for support, confirm whether a separate TSP order remains outstanding, and review insurance beneficiary records with counsel. Use a simple log with four columns: task, responsible person, deadline, and proof of completion. If the first support payment is short, compare the order, payroll deduction, and amount actually credited before deciding what action to take.

What should I do in the first week?

Create one folder for the signed judgment, any marital settlement agreement incorporated into it, and every separate order. Put the date marital status ends at the top of your checklist. A court may end marital status before it resolves the remaining financial issues. If that happened in your case, identify the reserved issues and any upcoming hearings so an unfinished property issue stays on your calendar. California Courts’ divorce judgment guidance

Review each provision that requires somebody to act. One person may need to order certified copies, another may need to sign an application, and a lawyer may still be preparing a separate order. Assign each task to a named person and record what will show that it is complete. For an agency submission, that could mean proof of receipt followed by a written decision.

How do I keep the retirement and survivor paperwork straight?

Give the pension order and survivor election separate entries. For the pension, track the certified order, application, delivery, approval, and first payment. For survivor coverage, identify the required election, its deadline, and who is making it. DFAS identifies DD Form 2656-10 for a former spouse’s deemed-election request and DD Form 2656-1 for the member’s former-spouse election after retirement. Check the correct route for the member’s status and the pay center handling the account. DFAS former-spouse coverage guidance

Suppose the pension paperwork is accepted but no one has confirmed the survivor election. The acceptance letter answers only the pension question. Check the survivor beneficiary record separately and follow up with the appropriate office while the applicable deadline is still open. Companion draft on Survivor Benefit Plan coverage

What should I reconcile after the first payment cycle?

Put the support order, the payroll record if available, and the payment history side by side. Write down the amount due for the month and the amount credited. If there is a shortfall, check whether it concerns timing, the payment route, or a deduction that covers only part of the obligation. Retain evidence of direct payments so the ledger reflects money actually received and credited. Companion draft on military withholding and support arrears

Check the same basics for property transfers. Confirm that any account transfer has posted and that the amount matches the order or agreement. Mark open items for follow-up. If a pay center requests new language or rejects an order, give counsel its written response and the exact packet submitted. Companion draft on DFAS rejections

What if I can only tackle a few things today?

Start with any deadline that can cause an election or coverage opportunity to expire. Next, address the payments and coverage the household depends on this month. Put the rest on a calendar with a named owner and a date to check back. That sequence is especially helpful when pension payments are months away but insurance or support needs attention now.

Contact Edgar & Dow for a consultation about your California military-divorce case.

Explore the Edgar & Dow Military Divorce Library.