QDRO & Pension Division
Your decree says a retirement account has to be split. We make sure it actually happens, and that you know what is really being divided before you sign.
A divorce decree can order that a 401(k) or pension be divided, but the decree by itself does not move any money. A separate court order has to be drafted, approved, and accepted by the plan administrator. Until that happens, the division exists on paper and nowhere else.
Start your QDRO or pension valuationWhat it costs
$850
401(k) or civilian pension order
Flat fee, quoted before any work starts. No hourly billing.
Some plans charge their own review fee. Where that applies we will tell you the amount before you commit.
Why retirement division goes wrong
Most agreements say the retirement accounts will be divided. Far fewer say how, and the execution is where the technical work lives. Every plan has its own rules and required language. A small error in the order can produce:
- Rejection by the plan administrator
- Delays in receiving benefits
- Unexpected tax consequences
- Incorrect benefit calculations
- Loss of survivor benefits in a pension
None of these are exotic. They are the ordinary result of an order that does not match what the plan requires, which is why the analysis has to happen before the order is finalised rather than after it comes back rejected.
How it works
1. Send us the decree and the plan details.
We confirm what has to be divided, how the plan requires it to be done, and what the marital portion actually is.
2. The order gets drafted to the plan's requirements.
Drafted to that plan's language and procedures, and coordinated with your attorney.
3. Through to acceptance.
We stay with it until the plan accepts the order and the division is complete. This is the step most people are surprised to learn is not automatic.
Common questions
- What is a QDRO?
- A Qualified Domestic Relations Order is a court order directing a retirement plan to divide a benefit and pay a portion to a former spouse. It is separate from the divorce decree and has to be accepted by the plan itself.
- Do I need one if my decree already divides the account?
- Usually yes for employer plans such as a 401(k) or pension. The decree binds the two spouses. It does not bind the plan administrator. IRAs are generally handled differently, through a transfer incident to divorce.
- What happens if we never file it?
- The account stays whole in the participant’s name. Years later the money may be spent, the participant may have remarried, or the beneficiary on file may have changed. Delay is the most common way a settled division quietly disappears.
- How long does it take?
- Most of the timeline belongs to the plan administrator’s review rather than the drafting. We give you an expected range once we see the plan.
- How much does it cost?
- A standard order is $850, flat. Military pension division is priced separately because it involves different orders and a different agency. We quote before any work starts.
- Can you value a pension?
- Yes. A pension’s present-day value is often very different from anything shown on a statement, and that number frequently changes what a fair settlement looks like.