Family Care Plan for Military Members Going Through a Divorce
Regardless of your situation, divorce is never easy. This holds especially true in situations where one or both spouses serve in the United States military. There are over 1.4 million active duty military members currently in the military, and many will likely go through a divorce in their lifetime, many of which will occur while they are still serving our country. If you find yourself in this situation it is best that you reach out to an experienced military divorce attorney. A good attorney will work with you and your family to ensure the process goes as smooth as possible and everyone’s best interests are considered.
Family Care Plans
As military members know, the military mandates that when one or both spouses are serving, a family care plan must be in place. While these are important for couples that are together, family care plans are of extreme importance for military couples who are divorced or are separating. The purpose of the family care plan is to outline what will happen to dependent children in the event that their parent is no longer able to care for them. A family care plan is broken down into three main parts:
- Short-Term Caretaker: This has to be an individual who is not in the military. It can be a spouse or anyone that can step in at a moment’s notice and take care of the family. Ideally, this individual must live in close proximity to the base.
- Long-Term Caretaker: This individual cannot be a member of the military either and must be able to take care of your dependents when you are deployed.
- Care Provision Details: This should include all necessary information to access medical records, insurance information, school/educational information, and bank accounts. This should also include power of attorney to the caretaker of your dependents.
Following the finalization of the family care plan, a commanding officer must review the information for approval. In addition, the documentation needs to be updated annually, and as situations change. Ultimately, this document is a legal document that will determine how the live’s of your dependents work. Regardless of your spousal situation, the details of the family care plan should account for your current relationship status. This means that if you are separated or divorced, the document should note the multiple houses the dependents reside at and with whom. If you are divorced, the other parent will also need to sign this document acknowledging final approval.
Reach Out to Us for Assistance
Men and women in our armed services face family law issues that are far different from individuals in the general population. The unique lifestyle you lead can create many issues that civilians do not encounter. Thus, you need an experienced military family law attorney to help you handle your situation. At the Fort Lauderdale office of Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. we have extensive experience handling military family law matters and understand the unique laws affecting your situation. If you are in need of assistance call us at 954-945-7591 for a free consultation.
Resources:
fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/what-percentage-of-americans-have-served-in-the-military/
military.com/spouse/military-life/military-resources/family-care-plan.html