Military Divorce: Dividing Military Retirement Benefits
Navigating Unique Rules for Pension Division and Survivor Annuity
Recording of a 90-minute CLE webinar/teleconference with Q&A
Conducted on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Recorded event now available
This CLE webinar will prepare family law attorneys to identify the important issues that arise in dividing military pensions, including navigating applicable federal laws and procedures, jurisdictional issues, methods of pension division, and allocation of the Survivor Benefit Plan.
Description
Military retirement benefits often represent the most valuable asset in a military marital estate. Division of military pensions presents challenges due to unique rules that govern military retirement pay and the applicable federal laws and procedures, and jurisdictional issues.
Identifying the appropriate methods of division for an active-duty servicemember’s pension is essential. Counsel must anticipate issues involving a retiree’s ability to thwart pension division by election of disability benefits and utilize remedial measures through an indemnification clause.
Understanding the cost, benefits and implementation of the Survivor Benefit Plan, the survivor annuity in the event the servicemember predeceases the former spouse, is also critical. Practitioners need to know the deadlines for application, selection of the base amount, and who will pay the premiums.
Listen as a panel of expert family law attorneys discusses the complexities and unique issues associated with military pension division in a military divorce, and the best practices for addressing the related issues.
Outline
- Rules governing the division of military retired pay
- Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act
- Dept. of Defense Financial Management Regulations
- Jurisdictional rules in 10 USC 1408(c)(4)
- Methods of pension division
- Survivor Benefit Plan — options and rules
Benefits
The panel will review these and other key questions:
- What rules govern the division of military retired pay and where can they be found?
- What are the methods of division for an active-duty servicemember’s pension?
- How can the division of a military pension be thwarted by a military retiree's election and how can this be remedied?
- What are the rules for securing Survivor Benefit Plan coverage?
Faculty
Mark E. Sullivan,
Principal
Law Offices of Mark E. Sullivan, Raleigh, N.C.
He focuses on family law and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He has served as the Vice-Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association's Family Law Section and as the Chair of the Military Committee of the American Bar Association's Family Law Section. His book, "The Military Divorce Handbook," was published in its Second Edition in August 2011 by the American Bar Association.
Wm. John Camp,
Partner
Westmoreland Patterson Moseley & Hinson, Macon, Ga.
With a focus on family law, he counsels military and federal civil service clients in addressing their family law matters, particularly in the areas of federal benefits, pensions, child support, and complex custody and visitation matters. He is a frequent speaker on dividing military and federal retirement pensions.
Ordering
Online CLE - Audio Recording
Includes audio streaming of full program plus handouts (available 24 hours after live seminar).
CLE:
Pre-approved for participatory or non-traditional/alternate format credit in: CA, HI*, NY*, WV*.
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(*Indicates that Strafford must report attendance.)
Online CLE Audio $127.00
Available 24 hours after the live event
Recorded Event
Includes full event recording plus handouts (available after live seminar).
CLE: Pre-approved for self-study credit in: AK, AZ, CA, CT, FL, HI, MO, MT, NY, TX*, UT, VT, WA, WV. Upon request, self-study credit is also available in: CO, GA, ID, KY, ME, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OR, WI, WY. If you are applying for self-study credit in one of these states, contact Strafford CLE at 1-800-926-7926 ext. 35 or CLE@straffordpub.com. (*Indicates that Strafford needs to process the CLE — see below to purchase this option.)
Webinar Download (Slide Presentation with Audio) $127.00
Available three business days after the live event
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plus $9.45 S&H
Available ten business days after the live event
MP3 Download (Audio with Slide PDFs) $127.00
Available 24 hours after the live event
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plus $9.45 S&H
Available ten business days after the live event
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Program Materials
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Program Materials
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CLE Credit
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Customer Reviews
The CLE was very practical and to the point for a family law practitioner. There was no time wasted.
Bruce Clement
Clement Law Center
The CLE was reasonably priced and good quality therefore a very good value.
Jim Proctor
Meridian Advantage
I liked the practical examples raised both by the speakers and those with questions; it allowed for an enhanced understanding of issues I have not yet seen in a bankruptcy/family law context.
Noah Bishop
Gresham Family and Bankruptcy Law
The CLE covered exactly what was advertised and it was geared to a person with my practice background and level of expertise.
Aliza Organick
Washburn University School of Law
The speakers were very knowledgeable about the area and you could tell they cared. It was nice to call in and be able to speak to them live.
Shari J. Reich
Kenney Shelton Liptak Nowak LLP
Family Law Advisory Board
Partner
Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby
Paula G. Kirby
Partner
Walzer & Melcher
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