What is a Military Divorce?
If you or your spouse serves in the armed forces, such as the British Army, Royal Airforce and the Royal Navy, long separations, financial difficulties, and stress can add pressures to your relationship. This can eventually result in one or both of you deciding to separate and file for a military divorce.
If you decide to separate, you will need expert legal advice to help negotiate the challenges and complexities of a military divorce.
Getting a Divorce in the Military
There are several factors that can complicate a military divorce; however, the main challenges are:
- Military Pensions – These are typically more complicated than other types of pensions and can be difficult to deal with in a divorce financial settlement. This will require expert legal military divorce advice.
- Housing Arrangements – If you are living in military accommodation, it can be difficult to decide where both spouses will live, especially if you will no longer have rights to live in military accommodation.
- Children Arrangements – If you or your spouse are posted abroad, or in locations across the UK, this can make it difficult to deal with child arrangements.
- Private School Costs.
The process of a military divorce is the same as a regular divorce and it will follow a no-fault divorce process. However, any financial matters including the above, will be dealt with separately, making a military divorce more complicated.
Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free consultation today and discuss your military divorce.
Why Choose the Howells Solicitors Military Divorce Team?
Divorce and separation does not have to be complicated or costly. If you are thinking about separating, or even getting divorced, we offer advice through a range of affordable fixed fees or competitive hourly rate services to give you the advice and support you need at a price you can afford.
The Howells Solicitors promise to you:
No surprises: We will provide a written estimate of costs at the outset of any case and keep you regularly informed of your costs position throughout.
No legal jargon. We will take time to understand your needs and provide clear explanations, so you completely understand what’s going on every step of the way.
Minimise stress. The breakdown of a relationship is invariably one of the most difficult situations anyone can encounter. We will help you reach the best possible outcome for you and your family with the least possible distress. We understand the importance of seeking to find amicable solutions to the issues that need to be resolved during the divorce or separation process. However, we will always have your best interests at the forefront or our actions, and we will strive to get you the best outcome possible.
Fair pricing. We always do our best to minimise cost where possible. Our fixed fees and transparent costings mean you know how much your legal work will cost. Our hourly rates are some of the most competitive across England and Wales.
Our team of divorce solicitors are part of one of the largest family law teams in the north of England. The Legal 500 accredits the team as one of the top family law firms in the country.
The team are also accredited by Resolution and the Law Society and have many positive client reviews, earning them a rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Review Solicitors.
Fixed Fee Military Divorce
A fixed fee divorce is just like any other divorce process, however you know the cost upfront. Dealing with a military divorce can be distressing and drawn out, and money worries can only add to the stress. Having a clear idea of the cost of the divorce upfront can help remove some of the financial worries.
This is why our military divorce solicitors offer an affordable fixed fee divorce package to give you peace of mind over costs. In some military divorce cases a combination of a fixed fee divorce can be used alongside fixed hourly divorce solicitor rates.
Our divorce solicitors provide quality divorce advice at a lower cost than most family law firms. This is especially true compared to firms in the south of England.
How Our Military Divorce Solicitors Can Help You
A military divorce solicitor does more than just handle paperwork during the divorce process. We are with you throughout the entire process, providing invaluable military divorce advice and professional and emotional support.
We can help by offering advice regarding your divorce application, deal with all the paperwork involved and help negotiate and deal with your financial settlements, including a military pension, and children arrangements. We can also represent you at family court.
We know that reaching out to a military divorce lawyer can be stressful. However, our team is friendly and easy to talk to. You can find a number of client reviews on our Review Solicitors profile. Remember, we are on your side and can help you rebuild for the future.
We have one of the largest family law teams in Yorkshire, who provide expert, impartial family law advice to help resolve challenges with a military divorce, such as:
- Divorce financial orders.
- Complex armed force pensions.
- Financial matters.
- Divorce financial settlements.
- Court orders.
- Paperwork involved with the divorce process.
- Child arrangements and child maintenance.
- Representation at family court.
- Separation agreements.
- Asset protection with a prenup or postnuptial agreement.
You can access our wealth of helpful guides to support you with your family law queries.
Legal Rights as a Military Spouse
Military spouses have the same rights, and are treated in the same way, as any other spouse on divorce. However, due to the demands of the military lifestyle, non-military spouses may encounter employment challenges and may not have had the opportunity to develop their own career experience or pension benefits. This could be a result of regularly supporting their spouse and relocating frequently. The court will consider this factor in its overall assessment.
Dealing With an Armed Forces Pension
Often, the value of an Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) is the largest matrimonial asset in a military divorce.
The amount of your Armed Forces pension will depend on several factors, including your length of service, rank, and pension scheme. Many military pension schemes have complex features to them.
Armed force pensions require careful consideration to protect the benefits so that they can be shared in a fair way upon divorce.
How Can I Protect My Armed Forces Pension in a Divorce?
There are a number of options when dealing with an armed forces pension, including:
Offsetting: Where the value of the pension is offset against the value of other assets.
Pension Attachments: Providing a lump sum or income stream for a spouse.
Pension Sharing: Where a spouse receives a pension credit and becomes a member of the pension scheme.
It’s important to discuss your pension options with a specialist military divorce solicitor to ensure the best option is chosen for your situation. Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free consultation today and discuss your options.
Who Gets Custody of Children in a Military Divorce?
A military divorce will legally end the marriage, however you will still need to deal with any child custody arrangements. Many families manage this amicably however others need assistance from solicitors.
Our military divorce solicitors can help decide where the children will live. They can also assist with who the children can visit and when. We can help with school arrangements and plans if one parent moves away.
Learn more on our child custody page.
Child Maintenance
Under UK law, both parents are responsible for the living costs of their children. Child maintenance is an agreement between parents to provide financial support for their children after divorce.
Our military divorce solicitors can help you determine how much you or your ex-partner should pay for child support. They can also provide guidance on creating or modifying agreements, as well as offer advice if payments have ceased.
Learn more on our child maintenance page.
Specialist Military Divorce Lawyers
Our Military Divorce Solicitors represent clients in:
The divorce team offer a free 30-minute consultation on your first visit, which can be made face-to-face, on the phone or virtually.
Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free consultation today.
Free Legal Consultation
Our military divorce team offer a free legal consultation to new clients. You can book an appointment by telephone, video call or in person You can book a consultation to have by telephone, video call or in person, at a time that suits your needs.
Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free consultation today.
Starting a Military Divorce
If you’re starting divorce proceedings against your spouse, this means you’re the applicant. You will be responsible for completing and submitting the divorce application, which we can do on your behalf. Our fees for divorce proceedings start at £399 + VAT, plus Court fees and disbursements.
These do not include costs to resolve any matters to do with finances, assets, or children.
How Much Will It Cost to Get a Military Divorce?
Our military divorce solicitors offer transparent and affordable prices to suit all financial circumstances. They will always keep you up to date with costs and offer fixed fees for most areas, so you remain in full control. We design our affordable and fixed fee services to give you peace of mind over costs during what can be a stressful time.
Find a full list of our divorce fees here.
Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free appointment today.
Flexible Family Law Appointments
We understand that dealing with family law matters can be stressful, and finding time to attend in-person appointments isn’t always easy. That’s why we offer our full range of family law services remotely, offering a more efficient and convenient service.
We are able to offer advice nationwide on that basis, which can often work out to be cheaper and more convenient, frequently providing representation to family law clients around the whole country.
We can offer our family law legal support via telephone or secure online meetings. This approach allows you to access expert legal advice from the comfort of your home, without the need to travel or rearrange your schedule. I
If your case requires a court hearing, many such procedural matters are now handled remotely too, or if in person we can arrange representation by a suitable local barrister, ensuring your legal journey is as smooth and accessible as possible.
Our remote services are designed to be just as personal and confidential as in-person consultations, with clear communication and full transparency every step of the way.
Remote appointments are offered throughout the case, and most correspondence is handled by email. Whether you’re dealing with sensitive family matters or simply seeking guidance, we ensure a smooth, stress-free experience that puts your needs first.
If you do wish to meet us face to face, you can book an appointment at one of our offices in Sheffield, Barnsley or Rotherham. While remote services offer convenience, they may not be suitable for those with limited digital literacy or access or where safeguarding is critical.
Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to speak to a family law expert or book an appointment today.
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