Will my Wife Receive 1/2 of my Pension Benefits if we Divorce? What if I Have a Government Pension and Don't Pay into Social Security

Adam from Beltsville, MD, asks, "Will my wife receive half of my pension benefits if we get divorced? What if I have a government pension I don't pay into Social Security?"

Brett Disdale from Pension Evaluators & QDROS Of Troyan, Inc Associates Group, answers, "In most states, the non-participant spouse is entitled to 50% of the benefits earned while in the marriage. However, government pensions can be an exception when the pension participant doesn't contribute to social security. This is because a few states allow a social security offset to the overall value of the pension when determining the value of the benefits earned during the marriage.