For airline pilots and aviators
A 25-year flying career creates layered financial considerations. Your prenup should reflect that.
Seniority-based pay, airline pensions requiring QDROs, military retirement benefits, and compensation that grows dramatically over a career. A standard prenup template is not built for this.
Flat fee of $5,000 per couple. No payment to get started.
The seniority trajectory
Pilot compensation is predictable, steep, and seniority-driven
Unlike most careers, pilot income follows a well-defined trajectory tied to years of service. Seniority controls pay rate, aircraft assignment, routes, and schedule. This predictability is exactly why it matters for prenup planning.
First officer
$80K to $150K
Building seniority at a regional or major carrier. Pay increases with each year of service.
Captain
$150K to $250K
Upgraded to captain. Base pay, per diem, and flight hour bonuses combine to significantly raise total compensation.
Wide-body captain
$250K to $350K
International routes with higher pay scales. Deferred compensation and stock plans often vest during this period.
Senior captain
$350K to $400K+
Top of the seniority list. Maximum pension accrual rate, full benefits, and the highest hourly rates.
Salary ranges are approximate and vary by carrier, base, and contract year. Actual compensation includes base pay, per diem, flight hour bonuses, and profit sharing.
Pension and retirement
Multiple retirement vehicles, each with different division rules
Pilots often accumulate retirement benefits across several programs simultaneously. Each has its own legal framework for division. A prenup can address how these are treated before the complexity compounds over decades of marriage.
Defined benefit pension
Most major airlines offer a traditional pension calculated from years of service and final average earnings. Division after divorce typically requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). A prenup can pre-establish how pension benefits accrued during the marriage may be treated.
Airline 401(k) plans
Carrier-sponsored 401(k) plans with employer matching. Contributions made during the marriage may be considered differently from those made before. Your attorney can help clarify this distinction in the agreement.
Deferred stock and profit sharing
Some carriers offer deferred stock purchase plans or profit sharing programs that vest over multi-year periods. A prenup can address how unvested shares are characterized if the vesting period spans the marriage.
Thrift Savings Plan (military)
For pilots who transitioned from military service, TSP balances accrued during prior military service may be treated differently from contributions made during the marriage. Your attorney can review applicable federal rules.
Beyond base salary
Compensation a prenup can address beyond your paycheck
Pilot compensation includes several components that may be relevant to a prenuptial agreement. Your attorney can review which of these are appropriate to include.
Per diem reimbursements
Non-taxable income for overnight trips
Flight hour bonuses
Premium pay for holidays, international, and overtime
Buddy passes and travel benefits
Free or reduced standby travel for family
Crashpad equity
Shared housing near base cities
Life and disability insurance
Carrier-provided COLI and loss-of-license coverage
Signing and retention bonuses
Lump-sum payments tied to continued employment
Military aviators
Additional federal rules for military pilots
Pilots who served or currently serve in the military face additional federal statutes that govern how retirement pay and benefits may be divided after divorce.
The Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act (USFSPA) permits state courts to treat disposable military retired pay as divisible property. Under the 10/10 rule, a former spouse may receive payments directly from DFAS if the marriage overlapped with at least 10 years of creditable military service.
A prenup can address how military retired pay, Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) elections, TRICARE eligibility for a former spouse, SGLI beneficiary designations, and TSP balances are treated. Your attorney can review how these federal provisions interact with your state's property division laws.
Key military considerations
USFSPA
Federal law allowing state courts to divide military retired pay as property
10/10 rule
Threshold for direct DFAS payments to a former spouse
Survivor Benefit Plan
Annuity for survivors; elections may be addressed in a prenup
TRICARE and SGLI
Healthcare eligibility and life insurance beneficiary designations
Thrift Savings Plan
Federal retirement savings with its own division rules
How Neptune works
Three steps to a prenup built for a pilot's financial picture
Aviation-aware intake
Neptune's guided intake asks about your seniority, pension structure, military service history, and compensation in plain language.
Free attorney consultation
Each partner gets connected with a separate, licensed attorney who can review how your pilot compensation and retirement plans fit into the agreement.
Finalized agreement
Your attorney drafts an agreement that addresses pension division, seniority-based pay growth, and military retirement if applicable. Turnaround is typically around 3 to 4 weeks.
Transparent pricing
One flat fee. Two independent attorneys.
$5,000
per couple, total
Rush pricing applies when the wedding is within 45 days. No payment required to get started.
Start your prenupCommon questions from pilots
How is my airline pension handled in a prenup?
A prenup can establish how pension benefits are characterized before the marriage begins. Without a prenup, pension appreciation during the marriage may be subject to division, often calculated using formulas like the Hodgins formula that consider years of service accrued during the marriage relative to total service. Your attorney can review how to address pension rights in the agreement and whether a QDRO framework should be referenced.
What about my seniority? It determines my future income.
Pilot seniority is unique because it directly controls pay rate, schedule, aircraft type, and route assignments. While seniority itself may not be divisible as property, the income it generates can be relevant during divorce proceedings. A prenup can address how future income growth driven by pre-marriage seniority accrual is treated versus growth from seniority earned during the marriage. Your attorney can help clarify this distinction.
I'm a military pilot. What additional considerations are there?
Military pilots face additional federal rules. The Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act (USFSPA) allows state courts to treat military retired pay as divisible property. The 10/10 rule determines whether a former spouse can receive direct payments from DFAS. A prenup can address how military retired pay, Survivor Benefit Plan elections, TRICARE eligibility, and TSP balances are treated. Your attorney can review how federal rules interact with your state laws.
Do flight benefits (buddy passes, per diem) count as assets?
Per diem reimbursements are generally non-taxable income replacement and may be treated differently from salary. Buddy passes and travel benefits are typically non-transferable employment perks without a clear cash value, but their treatment can vary. A prenup can clarify how these various forms of compensation and benefits are characterized. Your attorney can review what is appropriate to include.
What does it cost and how long does it take?
Neptune charges a flat fee of $5,000 per couple, which covers two independent attorneys (one for each partner). No payment is required to get started. Turnaround is typically around 3 to 4 weeks when both partners use Neptune attorneys. Rush pricing applies when the wedding is within 45 days.