Military and Federal Pensions in a Georgia Divorce: USFSPA, the 10/10 Rule and Survivor Benefits

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Georgia divides military retirement earned during the marriage equitably, within federal limits. Federal law caps all court-ordered payments at 50 percent of disposable retired pay, and the military pays directly only after a 10-year marriage and service overlap.

Is military retirement divided in a Georgia divorce?

Georgia divides marital property equitably (O.C.G.A. 19-5-13), and federal law lets a court treat disposable retired pay as property of the member alone or of the member and spouse under the law of the court’s jurisdiction, but only if the court has jurisdiction over the member through residence other than because of military assignment, domicile or consent (10 U.S.C. 1408(c)).

What is the 50% federal limit in Georgia?

The total amount of disposable retired pay payable under all court orders may not exceed 50 percent of the disposable retired pay (10 U.S.C. 1408(e)(1)). Georgia sets no percentage of its own, so the federal limit is the ceiling that applies; the Georgia pension division calculator shows the share against it.

What is the 10/10 rule in Georgia?

Direct payment from the military to a former spouse is not available, to the extent the order treats retired pay as property, unless the spouses were married 10 years or more during which the member performed at least 10 years of service creditable for retired pay (1408(d)(2)). The rule limits payments made by the military under section 1408; it does not by itself say a court cannot divide the pay, so an order should say how a spouse who misses the test will be paid. The calculator checks your overlap months.

How does a military order get paid in Georgia?

After effective service on the Secretary concerned of a court order that specifically provides for payment of a share of disposable retired pay to a spouse or former spouse, the Secretary makes payments, subject to the section’s limits (1408(d)(1)). A general property award is not enough; the order must specify the amount or fraction.

What about deployment and custody in Georgia?

A court may not enter a final order modifying parental rights under an existing parenting plan earlier than 90 days after a deployment ends unless the deployed parent agrees, and the deployed parent’s absences alone are not enough to show a change in material conditions (O.C.G.A. 19-9-3(b), (i)(1)). That affects custody, not the pension split.

What about federal civilian pensions in Georgia?

Federal law provides that payments under the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System are paid, in whole or in part, to another person to the extent expressly provided in the terms of a court decree of divorce, annulment or legal separation or a court order or court-approved property settlement incident to one (5 U.S.C. 8345(j); 5 U.S.C. 8467).

What does this page not cover in Georgia?

Veterans’ disability benefits, survivor benefits for a former spouse and tax treatment are separate questions governed by federal law and the plan, and we did not read the Georgia decisions on them for this page. Ask the plan or a licensed attorney. See the Georgia property division calculator for the rest of the estate.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• O.C.G.A. 19-3-9: each spouse’s property separate
• O.C.G.A. 19-5-13: disposition of property in accordance with verdict
• Georgia Code Title 19, chapter 5: divorce
• 10 U.S.C. 1408: military retired pay in divorce
• 26 U.S.C. 414(p): qualified domestic relations orders
• 29 U.S.C. 1056(d)(3): ERISA domestic relations orders
• O.C.G.A. 19-9-3: custody of child
• 5 U.S.C. 8345(j): CSRS court orders
• 5 U.S.C. 8467: FERS court orders

This is general information, not legal advice. It is based on the cited Georgia statutes, rules and court opinions, and every case turns on its own facts. Confirm how the law applies to your situation with a licensed Georgia attorney.