Opinion ID: 2549122
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Examples of unacceptable former spouse award language.

Text: Here, there is no way for us to determine the community interest unless a formula for calculating it is provided elsewhere in the court order.
The problem here is that there is no way for us to determine an amount or percentage. Military retired pay is a Federal entitlement, which the member either qualifies for or does not. It does not vest in any way prior to the member's retirement.
The problem here is similar to that above. Since military retired pay is a statutory entitlement, there is no value that accrues prior to the member's retiring. 4. The former spouse shall be entitled to 42% of the member's military retirement based on the amount he would have received had he retired as of the date of the divorce. Since we do not have access to the member's active duty service information, there is no way for us to determine the member's rank or years of active duty service as of the date of divorce. Thus, there is no way for us to compute a hypothetical retired pay amount. 5. The former spouse is a awarded a portion of the member's military retired pay calculated according to the Bangs formula. Here, the court order presupposes that we are familiar with that State's laws and know what the Bangs formula is, or that we are able to do legal research to resolve an ambiguity in a court order. 6. The former spouse is awarded an amount equal to 50% of the member's disposable retired pay less the amount of the Survivor Benefit Plan Premium. The amount of the former spouse's award must be expressed either as a fixed dollar amount or as a percentage of disposable retired pay. This award does not meet that requirement. This handout is prepared by the Garnishment Operations Directorate, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Cleveland Center. It may be freely circulated, but not altered without permission. Revised 3/18/03.