Category: Divorce QDROs

I’m getting divorced. When should I start dealing with dividing retirement benefits? Often parties do not address the division of retirement benefits until after they are divorced. This can cause a lot of problems as explained in our blog “Not close to retirement age, why get a QDRO?” You should start thinking about dividing retirement […]

What if my spouse won’t sign the QDRO? It is easiest to file a QDRO if both parties in the divorce have signed the QDRO approving it. However, there are times when one of the parties (in most cases it’s the participant) refuses to sign the QDRO or cannot be located. If the judge has […]

How do QDROs work? A Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is a court order that divides a retirement plan according to plan rules and applicable law associated with that plan. After a plan determines that a court order meets the requirements of the law and its rules to be considered a “QDRO,” the plan (not […]

Can you tell me more about Defined Benefit Plans? There are 2 types of defined benefit plans. They are either called a traditional pension or retirement plans (usually monthly payments over time) or called a cash balance plan (lump sum payment with the option for monthly payments over time). Most mid-to-large size private companies have […]

What are the 2 types of retirement plans to look out for? Both public and midsize to large private employers often provide their employees with 2 types of retirement accounts. The 2 categories of retirement plans are a defined benefit plan (most are set up to be a monthly payment over a lifetime) and a […]