How long do you have to be married to get military benefits after a divorce?
Getting a divorce in a military family may be hard on the heart and hard to understand legally, especially when it comes to benefits. Military spouses often wonder, “How long do you have to be married to get military benefits after a divorce?”
The answer depends on a few important principles, such the famous 20/20/20 rule. Let’s make it easy to understand.
✅ Knowing the 20/20/20 Rule (Full Military Spouse Benefits After Divorce)
The 20/20/20 rule says that a former spouse can maintain all of their military benefits after a divorce. You need to meet all of these:
20 years of being married
20 years of service in the military by your spouse
20 years of overlap between
You can get the following if all three are met:
TRICARE health insurance (health insurance that stays in place after a divorce)
ID card
Base privileges (commissary, exchange, MWR)
Possible access to benefits for survivors
After a divorce, this rule is the best way to get benefits for military spouses.
20/20/15 Rule—TRICARE is limited after divorce
You may be able to get some health benefits under this rule:
20 years of being married
20 years of service in the military
At least 15 years of marriage and service at the same time
If this applies to you, you get:
One year of TRICARE insurance
No base
You can’t get lifetime access to other benefits for military spouses.
🚫 Don’t Qualify? Here are your
You won’t get TRICARE or base benefits if your marriage doesn’t match the 20/20/20 or 20/20/15 requirements. But there may still be critical choices:
Military Pension During Divorce
You may still be able to get some of the military retirement income, even if you don’t get any benefits. This depends on how long you were married and what the court decides. This is covered by the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act (USFSPA).
🏥 Health Insurance from CHCBP
The Continued Health coverage Benefit Program (CHCBP) gives you temporary health coverage when TRICARE ends. It’s paid coverage, but it can help you get by until you get civilian health insurance.
📌 How It Works: Examples
🔹 Example 1—
Gets 20/20/20
Been married for 21 years
The spouse served 25 years.
21 years of overlap ✅ Full benefits for life after a divorce
Example 2:
Meets the requirements for 20/20/15
22 years married
Spouse served for 24 years.
17 years of overlap and one year of TRICARE just
Example 3:
Doesn’t qualify
Ten years of marriage
The spouse was in jail for 20 years.
10 years ❌ No benefits; can talk about how much of the pension they want.
Important Advice for Military Spouses Who Are Getting Divorced
If you want to preserve your 20/20/20 perks, don’t get married again. They stop when you marry someone else.
Talk to a military divorce lawyer to learn about all of your legal rights.
Write down everything about the length of your marriage and your spouse’s service.
📝 Last Thoughts
There are several problems that are peculiar to military divorces, especially when it comes to benefits. If you’re a military spouse who is worried about the future, knowing these principles, especially the 20/20/20 rule, can help you make smart decisions and safeguard your rights.
You should know what’s fair and possible whether it comes to health insurance, getting onto a military post, or getting a piece of your retirement money.