It is possible for an ex-spouse to claim a portion of a pension years after the divorce, especially if the division of the pension was included in the original divorce decree but not acted upon.
In Texas, 401(k) accounts are considered community property and are subject to division during a divorce. Withdrawals from 401(k)s due to divorce may not be subject to the typical 10% early withdrawal penalty.
Introduction to the 10-Year Rule. In Texas, the law provides a potential entitlement to spousal support, commonly known as alimony, if the marriage has lasted for at least 10 years.
A couple who gets divorced in Texas must wait at least 30 days before getting remarried. This allows each spouse a month to appeal the terms of the divorce agreement. After 30 days, it is assumed that both spouses still agree to the terms of the divorce and they can then remarry.
In Texas, the law considers retirement accounts acquired during the marriage as community property. This means they are subject to division upon divorce. The division is not necessarily equal but must be just and right, considering the rights of each party and any children of the marriage.
Under Texas law, there is a waiting period of at least 60 days—counted beginning the day after the Petition is filed—before a divorce can be finalized. A divorce can take longer than 60 days, but it cannot be finalized in fewer than 60 days unless one of two exceptions involving family violence applies.
In Texas, there is a 60-day waiting period for divorce, so the fastest a divorce can be finalized is 61 days. However, most cases take several months to a year, especially if there are children involved.
Theoretically, the least amount of time it can take to get divorced in Texas is 61 days. However, even an uncontested divorce typically takes about three to four months to finalize due to the court's docket and the schedules of all the parties involved.
You are entitled to whatever share of your ex-husband's pension the divorce decree awarded to you. If the divorce decree did not mention the pension, then you should consult an attorney; if the pension was earned during the marriage, you may have some rights to receive a share of it.
If your spouse is found to have hidden assets, then it could result in them losing the right to all of those assets and even a possible jail sentence. Does it matter how long we were married? Most retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s are divided upon divorce regardless of how long the marriage lasted.