Is there any loop holes to receive some of my ex's retirement if we were married less than 10 years?

No loophole- you are entitled to half of the community assets and debts earned during the marriage.

If the retirement is vested then you are entitled to one half of what was accumulated during the marriage. You should consult a family law attorney to review all of the facts and advise you.

It doesn't matter how long you were married except for receiving social security benefits. For all retirement benefits except social security you are entitled to one-half of everything he earned during the marriage. You will need the help of an attorney with this issue.

It isn't a loophole. You are entitled to one-half of his retirement that accrued during the marriage.

You would be entitled to a percentage for the time that you were married. You would have to join the retirement into the dissolution action and do a Qualified Domestic Relations order. Once the order is done you would then be entitled to that percentage of the retirement. This would be true as long as you did not waive any retirement in any type of settlement.

It is possible you are conflating two different issues. Your rights to survivors' benefits under social security vest after ten years (although this number needs to be re-checked). However, your right to one half of the increase in your spouse's employer-sponsored pension plan or IRA or similar instrument does not depend on the ten years. There is a presumption that you are entitled to one-half of the increase in value from the date of the marriage. The presumption can be overcome, or it can be modified, by about eleven other 'equitable considerations. If there is any significant sum of money involved, you would do well to consult an experienced family lawyer. Good Luck.

I do not know what you mean by "loopholes." California is a community property state; that means that you have a right to one-half of the retirement earned during marriage.