What should I do?

My wife and I have verbally agreed to separate. But she has made no effort towards a paper agreement. I am active duty military and can have a JAG officer draw the papers up free of cost.

I am getting out of the military within the next 3 months, and am relocating to my home state. My wife has CHOSEN not to come with me, hence the separation. She does not work, and has not worked in the past 3-4 years, she refuses to file for disability (which she might qualify for) and she demands a lot in a separation agreement, which has not even been drafted, since we cannot past the first couple of things.

What should I do? My income will become ZERO (or unemployment) once I am out, and she will need/want support from myself. She has no legal debts, but also an expired driver’s license and vehicle registration and maybe a pending bench warrant. She has demanded continued healthcare and ridiculous amounts of money. What can/could happen if she moves in with her family, and I move home? Can she file with the courts if there is no separation agreement in place concerning spousal support? Can the court order an amount that I cannot pay? What are my legal rights in this case?

The clock is ticking concerning my guaranteed paychecks, and I am trying to sort things out, but she is not helping at all.

We have never had children, own nothing of value post-marital, and do not own any property.

I am not a lawyer. Do you have access to legal aid through the military? I would try that while you are still in the military. Maybe that would atleast force her to the table. There is nothing like getting a letter from a lawyer.

The Base Legal/JAG officer can not do anything in civilian courts. All they can do is suggest separation agreement terms (through a worksheet) and then write an agreement to be signed. They were pretty useless to me. No surprises there.

She may file for support with the court, and the court will determine what, if any amount, she will receive after reviewing all the facts.