Spouse / Former Spouse Coverage

Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. §1447(7), a retiree may elect his/her spouse or former spouse as beneficiary, as long as they:

• Were married at the time the servicemember became eligible for retired pay,
• Were married at least one year at the time of the retiree's death, or
• Had a child together.

Children Coverage

When child coverage is added to former spouse coverage, only children resulting from the marriage to that former spouse are covered, including natural born, adopted, or stepchildren. If the former spouse is alive and eligible, he/she receives the annuity instead of the children.

A child is entitled to receive the annuity as long as the child is unmarried, and either:

1. Under 18,
2. Under 22 and a full-time student in an accredited school, or
3. Disabled and incapable of self-support, as long as the disability occurred while under 18 or a full-time student under 22.

Eligible children divide the annuity in equal shares, and in the event of a child's death or loss of eligibility, the remaining eligible children divide the benefit equally.

The premium for the former spouse portion of the coverage is calculated as normal. The additional premium for the children's portion, a fairly nominal amount (as low as a few dollars a month), is calculated based upon the ages of the servicemember, the former spouse, and the youngest child.