If you live in Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia–or the DMV as it’s affectionately called– chances are great that you or someone you know is a federal employee.
It’s a lot like being a lawyer in this town, you throw a stone and you hit about five or six attorneys along the way.
And it may come as no surprise to many of you that there are unique considerations for those individuals, married to federal employees and are contemplating a divorce, particularly in the areas of retirement and health insurance benefits.
It can be an interesting road to navigate if you don’t know the ins and outs and are not working with a competent lawyer who is knowledgeable in this area.
So if you or someone you know is in this boat and are considering going through a divorce, you’re going to want to have a pen and paper handy during today’s episode, because my guest is the perfect person to dive into the nuances of divorce for federal employees and their spouses.
Jessica Markham is the Managing Principal Attorney at Markham Law Firm in Bethesda, Maryland. She practices all aspects of family law in Maryland and Washington, D.C. She is collaboratively trained and also handles guardianship matters as well as serves as a child privilege attorney and a best interest attorney. She is also the author of Representing Federal Employees and Their Spouses in Divorce.
Ms. Markham and Markham Law Firm have been repeatedly recognized for excellence in the fields of Family Law, Divorce and Alternative Dispute Resolution, with recent top rankings in Best Lawyers in America©, Bethesda Magazine, and Washingtonian Magazine.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
- Federal pension systems and why it matters even if you were a federal employee for only a short time
- Why federal retirement plans require additional consideration and court orders
- How survivor benefits complicate the math on pension assets
- How pensions and survivor benefits impact access to federal health benefits
Learn more about Jessica Markham:
- Markham Law Firm
- Facebook: @markhamlegal
- Twitter: @markhamlegal, @jessgha
- Instagram: @markhamlegal
- Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn
- Representing Federal Employees and Their Spouses in Divorce
Learn more about Tracey:
- Coaching with Tracey Coates
- Instagram: @iamtraceycoates