Divorce & Annulment

questions & answers

Question: I was a 20 yrs Navy veteran, I was also married 16 yrs on active duty. I divorced following my retirement. The courts granted my ex-spouse 50% of my retirement. Will my ex continue to receive alimony for life?

Answer: Your ex will continue to receive 50% of your pension as ordered in the decree.  Alimony is a separate issue.  You do not say what the alimony award was.  If you are now retired and your ex is receiving monthly payments consisting of 50% of your monthly pension benefit plus alimony specified in the decree, you have the option to go back to court and ask that the alimony be reduced or eliminated because she is now getting a portion of the pension.  Also, if she has remarried, the alimony should have terminated.  You do not say if you were divorced in Arizona.  Get some legal advice about the alimony from a lawyer who can review your divorce decree.  Alimony is now called spousal maintenance.  Again, you must understand that the pension division is not alimony.  They are separate issues.  With a 16 year active duty marriage, it is unlikely her share of the pension can be reduced.