Military families face divorce rules that civilian couples never encounter. Federal statutes govern how retirement pay gets divided, what healthcare benefits a former spouse can retain, and when proceedings must pause for deployment. California law still applies, but it works alongside these federal requirements rather than replacing them.
Our San Bernardino, CA military divorce lawyer understands both systems and how they interact. Schank Family Law has represented service members, veterans, and military spouses across the Inland Empire for over two decades. We handle the pension calculations, the SBP elections, the TRICARE eligibility questions, and the custody arrangements that military families need addressed.
Christian L. Schank opened this firm in 2003 focusing exclusively on family law. He completed his J.D. at the University of La Verne College of Law after undergraduate studies at Brigham Young University. Martindale-Hubbell gave him an AV Rating in 2000, and he carries Lead Counsel Verified status for family law practice.
San Bernardino County’s proximity to military installations means we’ve handled divorces involving every branch of service. Each situation involves its own details, but the underlying federal framework applies across all branches.
Our attorneys understand the USFSPA formula for dividing retirement pay, know when the 10/10 rule matters for direct DFAS payments, and track the strict deadlines for Survivor Benefit Plan elections. We’ve worked through support calculations that account for BAH and BAS. We’ve handled custody arrangements complicated by deployment schedules and PCS orders.
Our family lawyer in San Bernardino, CA includes military divorce as a regular part of what we do.
Military families sacrifice in ways civilian families don’t experience, like years of deployments, frequent relocations, time apart during training and overseas assignments. We approach these cases with genuine respect for that service while advocating effectively for our clients’ legal interests.
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“Schank and associates will go above and beyond to help their clients. Whether they are representing you or giving you guidance on how to approach your issue, they provide excellent advice, service and care. I would highly recommend utilizing Schank & Associates’ services for all of your legal family service needs!” — Cassandra Johnson
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Military divorces raise questions that simply don’t come up when both spouses are civilians. Our attorneys address these regularly.
Several federal statutes apply to military divorces in addition to state law. Both systems work together.
The USFSPA allows state courts to treat military retirement pay as property subject to division. A former spouse can receive up to 50 percent of disposable retired pay through a qualifying court order.
Direct payment from DFAS to the former spouse requires at least 10 years of marriage overlapping with 10 years of creditable service. Couples not meeting that threshold can still divide the pension, but the service member pays directly rather than DFAS handling automatic payments.
The SCRA provides procedural protections for service members facing civil legal matters including divorce. A service member whose duties materially affect their ability to appear can request a stay of proceedings.
The Act also caps interest rates on certain pre-service debts and includes protections against default judgments being entered without proper safeguards.
SBP provides an annuity to a surviving spouse or former spouse. Under 10 U.S.C. Section 1450, former spouse coverage must be elected within one year of the divorce becoming final.
Courts can order SBP coverage as part of the divorce decree, but someone must ensure the actual election gets filed with the appropriate office within that window.
The 20/20/20 rule provides full TRICARE benefits to a former spouse married at least 20 years to a service member who completed at least 20 years of creditable service, with at least 20 years of overlap.
The 20/20/15 rule offers transitional coverage for one year when the overlap reaches at least 15 years but falls short of 20.
California family law governs military divorces filed here, operating alongside federal requirements.
Family Code Section 2320 requires at least one spouse to have lived in California for six months and in the filing county for three months before filing.
Military members present a particular situation. A service member’s legal residence of record, not their current duty station, typically determines where they can file. Someone claiming California as their legal residence can file here even while stationed elsewhere.
California’s community property framework under Family Code Section 2550 governs military divorces. The portion of retirement earned during marriage counts as community property requiring equal division.
Understanding how property division works in California helps military families anticipate what their case will involve.
Family Code Section 3011 establishes the best interest factors courts consider in custody decisions. Military status doesn’t change these standards, though it affects practical arrangements.
The California Courts website provides general information about divorce procedures.
Dividing military retirement requires calculating what portion was earned during the marriage. The standard formula takes months of marriage overlapping with creditable service and divides by total months of service at retirement.
For service members who haven’t retired yet, this creates uncertainty. Courts can reserve jurisdiction until retirement happens, use a hypothetical calculation based on retirement at divorce, or employ other approaches depending on circumstances.
Disposable retired pay excludes VA disability compensation. DFAS calculates a former spouse’s portion based on disposable pay, not gross retirement.
Service members sometimes waive part of their retirement to receive VA disability instead. This concurrent receipt waiver reduces what’s available for division. The issue has generated litigation nationwide, and specific case facts affect how courts handle it.
Military parents worry about deployments affecting their custody position. California addressed this concern directly. Family Code Section 3047 prevents courts from modifying custody based solely on a parent’s military deployment.
That protection matters. But practical planning remains necessary. Military parents can designate someone to exercise parenting time during deployment. Building these arrangements into custody orders helps maintain stability for children and protects the deployed parent’s long-term position.
Understanding California’s custody modification rules and relocation requirements helps military parents navigate these situations.
Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic Allowance for Subsistence add to a service member’s total compensation. California courts generally include these allowances when calculating income available for support, though treatment can vary based on circumstances.
Accurate calculation requires understanding how military Leave and Earnings Statements work and what each line item represents.
Pension division orders must meet DFAS requirements to be processed. Specific language, proper identification of the parties, correct formatting. Orders that don’t comply get rejected, creating delays and additional legal work.
Our attorneys prepare these orders correctly from the start, avoiding the back-and-forth that happens when documents don’t meet federal requirements.
Military divorces in San Bernardino County involve federal rules working alongside California family law. Pension formulas, SBP deadlines, TRICARE eligibility, and deployment custody protections all require attention to details that civilian divorces don’t present.
Schank Family Law offers free consultations. We’ll review your situation, explain how military-specific rules apply, and discuss what path forward makes sense. Family law is our only practice area, and military divorce represents a regular part of our work. Contact us to schedule a case evaluation.
Attorney Christian L. Schank founded Schank Family Law in 2003. With eight offices and a Certified Family Law Specialist on staff, the firm handles divorce, custody, support, and property matters in courts across the state.
Last Updated: September 23, 2026 
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