When getting divorced, people naturally tend to consider their own satisfaction with their marriage. If they are unhappy in that marriage, then they decide that it may be time to end it. This could be something that they’ve been thinking about for a while, or it could be more of a spur-of-the-moment decision.
If you’re getting divorced from a member of the military, however, the timing can be very important. It may actually impact the benefits that you can receive after the divorce.
TRICARE health insurance
For instance, one important thing to consider is TRICARE health insurance. For couples who have been married for 15 years, a former spouse may have access to only limited benefits. This doesn’t mean that they lose everything, but there are some limitations that make it less valuable than it would be otherwise.
However, if they are married for 20 years, then the benefits to this health insurance are unlimited. This can be exceedingly valuable. Healthcare costs in the United States are very high. In fact, medical bills are one of the leading causes of bankruptcy for most Americans.
As a result, you may want to consider exactly when you file for divorce. If you’ve been married for 19 years and you’re thinking about ending it, would it be better to wait another year so that you can be fully vested in those benefits? Would moving too quickly to get divorced cause you to give up things that you thought you would receive?
Naturally, every relationship is unique, and so the answer here is going to be different for everyone. But this can help to show why it is so important to think about the timing as you start looking into the legal steps you need to take to get divorced.