Federal Employee Divorce Attorneys in Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia is densely populated with employees of the federal government. When federal employees divorce, they encounter many of the same conflicts that non–civil service employees face.

However, there are federal laws and regulations that govern federal employee benefits packages. These laws and regulations have a tremendous impact on a divorce involving a federal employee. At HALE BALL MURPHY, PLC, in northern Virginia, our attorneys have extensive experience negotiating and litigating divorces involving federal employees. We understand the specialized compensation and benefits packages that federal employees have. We also have in-depth knowledge of health benefits and thrift savings plans for federal employees.

Our lawyers advocate forcefully on behalf of our clients in federal employee divorce cases to make sure the allocation of benefits between the federal employee and the federal employee’s spouse is fair and just.

HALE BALL MURPHY, PLC is a respected northern Virginia law firm founded in 1980. Our family law practice brings more than two decades of experience to our clients who need family law legal representation.

Special Considerations in Divorces Involving Federal Employees

Divorces involving federal employees require careful analysis in the area of allocation of financial assets. Federal employees and their spouses are subject to the same general rules of marital property division as are non–civil service employees. Under the law of equitable distribution, assets and debts acquired during the marriage must be divided equitably between the spouses.

For federal employees, this requires close scrutiny of retirement packages, pay grades and advancement schedules, and accumulated leave. Retirement benefits must be shared between the spouses, and each of the several federal retirement systems have different rules about vesting and accumulation. Our attorneys have significant experience with these different retirement systems. We understand how they work, and we know how to best calculate the fair division of retirement benefits between the federal employee and the spouse. The attorneys at HALE BALL MURPHY, PLC can also assist with other needed changes that come with divorce, including federal pension, asset division, and name change. The attorneys at HALE BALL MURPHY, PLC can assist with any needed changes that come with divorce (like name change). This includes both traditional legal marriages and common law marriages.