Dividing Retirement & Pension Accounts after Divorce w/ a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)

[@suelmarques340]

Thank you SO MUCH for this video. I am facing dividing a pension with the Ex. I have an attorney. We are referred to an expert for the QDRO. I did not understand much about the process-- but your video clarified so much -- Thank you. It is hard to find videos about divorce/pension/etc for CA.

[@LaurieItkin]

Thank you, Suel. So glad you found it helpful.

[@bonnieupton4114]

In michigan

[@cedrusjasmin2522]

I am so grateful to all of you great ladies!

[@ningstover1221]

Omg!!! I’m watching here in TENNESSEE. I need this information because of my EX- QRDO that I’m getting On… Praying that this information will help me in my situation.

[@ginaqc78]

Excellent video! Are these beautiful ladies work only in California? Or they can advice people living in other states….. I live in New York 🗽 Thank you so much ❤❤❤❤❤

[@LaurieItkin]

Glad you found this video helpful. You can ask your attorney for a referral to a NY-based CDFA.

[@notme4494]

Glad it is all about fairness

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

Yeah true

[@RoseReyes-dv8ov]

When will I know how much assets we had in retirement accounts to divide? My divorce was final in April 2022 & now I paid for my QDRO as I didn’t know I needed one…. The trouble is Never was given statements or total numbers of what we divided?

[@LaurieItkin]

Ask the professional who is preparing the QDRO. He or she would have requested all the required information.

[@maryjimenez2515]

We divorced one month ago.i am a stay home mom married 52 years. I am entitled to 50 percent. Does the court contacts a qudro lawyer to do the qudro.

[@LaurieItkin]

You and your spouse typically hire a QDRO attorney jointly. If there is only one retirement account, the fee should be less than $1000. If your spouse won't cooperate with providing the information, then contact a QDRO attorney and pay him or her yourself and ask for guidance on how to get the records.

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

@@LaurieItkin I need a QDRO attorney asap! I never knew about QDRO until a month ago and I’ve been divorced since 2013. I was married for 26 years and he was the major bread maker and has really good retirement plans. Can you tell me where to get a lawyer?

[@LaurieItkin]

@@TheMostHighDaughter180 Did you and your spouse agree to split his retirement account or did he keep them and you kept something like a house? Your marital settlement agreement/divorce decree needs to spell out if and how the retirement accounts will be divided. You need to find it and read it.

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

@@LaurieItkin The divorce says I’m entitled to his three different retirement pensions. One is military and the other two are from his plant retirement pension.

[@LaurieItkin]

@@TheMostHighDaughter180 I would start with searching for a QDRO attorney in the state where the divorce was processed.

[@DRockafella4life]

The main question is how long you have to file a qdro???

[@LaurieItkin]

Do it as soon as possible. If your ex-spouse dies before the QDRO has been processed, you may not see any money.

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

@@LaurieItkinoh my gosh!!!

[@Patricia-Margaret]

Amazing video, A friend of mine referred me to a financial adviser sometime ago and we got talking about investment and money. I started investing with $120k and in the first 2 months , my portfolio was reading $274,800. Crazy right!, I decided to reinvest my profit and gets more interesting. For over a year we have been working together making consistent profit just bought my second home 2 weeks ago and care for my family.

[@Patricia-Margaret]

@rachealhubert74 Quitting may not be the best approach if you ask me. This is where an AI comes into the picture. I barely have time to trade myself as my job swallows up most of my time. Bridget Mary Turow, a licensed fiduciary whom has made me over 5 figures in profit in less than seven months, handles my investments. I could leave you a lead if you need help.

[@Patricia-Margaret]

@rachealhubert74 Bridget Mary Turow

[@Patricia-Margaret]

Lookup with her name on the webpage

[@conservativenellie5876]

We were married 27 years I was a stay at home mother 3 kid’s and built our house with husband. He wanted our house I took retirement years later when he retired early at 56 I worked on our home until our divorce. Earned together., I’m wondering how long will retirement last I’ve been receiving it for now seven years and worried it might run out I’m 62

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

I have two situations: 1. I think my former spouse withdrew money from one of his retirement accounts that I was entitled to, without my knowledge and 2. DFAS is giving me a hard time about getting my portion from his military pension . The divorce decree listed all of his retirement accounts as being 50/50 community property stating the military portion as “Sims Portion”. My attorney has no clue of how to help me. Where do I turn?

[@LaurieItkin]

You need to hire a specialized attorney. Search for a "QDRO attorney" in your state.

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

@@LaurieItkin I currently live in Florida but got divorced in Louisiana. Do I need to get attorney in Louisiana?

[@christinekoch5909]

Thank you for the very informative video, another question I have is, it was stated that survivor benefits are community property, I was not fully understanding survivor benefits and in my new divorce consent I will not be receiving survivor benefits. I realize now from your video how important survivor benefits are. Is there anything else I could negotiate for before the QDRO’s are finalized, they will be going to the administrator soon? Possibly some kind of death benefit? I’ll become the beneficiary?

[@LaurieItkin]

Christine, did you and your spouse jointly hire a QDRO attorney to assist with the division? If so, you can hire a different QDRO attorney to consult with you on your options. Try Willie Peacock at 929-437-3767.

[@christinekoch5909]

Hi, our attorneys agreed together to hire a company in New Jersey that works with unions called all pro. Thanks for the recommendation, I think it would be wise for me to consult someone that works specifically with QDRO’s, I am getting the impression my attorney could use more experience when it comes to QDRO’s.

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

@@christinekoch5909 My attorney knows absolutely nothing about QDRO and after I found out about it a month ago I called and emailed her and all she said was “let me do some digging”! Hadn’t heard from her since 🫣

[@jendine1663]

I was married to my husband and helped him get a job with a good pension. we divorced 4 years later but remarried each other after 1 year. Now we are divorcing a second time. Am I entitled to half for 18 years or the full 22 years we were married? We are in California

[@invest2115]

You are a crook

[@idlr04]

What professional do I need to hire aside from attorney to be safe and make knowledgeable decisions on qdro disbursement after divorce?

[@LaurieItkin]

You can contact a certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA) or a financial advisor who is a fiduciary.

[@christinekoch5909]

I am in the middle of a divorce, one last detail to work out is, if I am entitled to disability pension if he takes that instead of regular pension ? Do you know if I will be entitled to a disability pension?

[@LaurieItkin]

Do you live in a community property or equitable distribution state? And is this a military/veteran's disability pension?

[@christinekoch5909]

@@LaurieItkin I live in New Jersey, equitable distribution state and it is not a military pension, it is electricians union.

[@michellecolon5473]

I was divorced a few years ago and the agreement was receiving 50 percent of pension. I am 49 now and want to make sure I receive this for my old age. What should I do

[@LaurieItkin]

Hi Michelle. Did you and your ex-spouse ever hire a QDRO attorney to draft a QDRO to send to the administrator of the pension? Depending on where you live, you should expect to spend between $500 and $1,000 on this QDRO and typically the divorce decree states that the fee should be split 50/50. Please review your divorce decree and look at the language. If you and your spouse never took the steps to file a QDRO you should not delay any longer. If you wait years and years and your ex-spouse dies you may not get anything because the pension administrator was never informed that the pension should be split!

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

@@LaurieItkin This video was a god send🙏🏾

[@davidwright6902]

My son in law and daughter are divorcing, they have been working hard and saving for their future with pension schemes including a 401k, my son in law was trying to get a settlement agreed very quickly, my daughter asked for a for an Actuary report on the 401k and her lawyer has informed his lawyers there will be no negotiation until this has been received, he has gone very silent, how can he be made to get this Actuary report made available please

[@LaurieItkin]

If it is a 401k, no actuarial report is required. The value can be determined by looking at the most recent monthly or quarterly statement. If it is a pension or defined benefit plan then a CDFA or actuary can calculate the present value of the pension. Or, better yet, it can be divided by QDRO. Where does your son-in-law work?

[@thomasseay7288]

What if your spouse pass on what happen to the money?

[@LaurieItkin]

It depends who is listed as beneficiary. Also if it is a pension, survivor benefits need to be negotiated.

[@julieweilch4315]

How much can it cost a quadro?

[@LaurieItkin]

Most of the QDRO prepares charge between $500 and $1,000 to prepare one.

[@generosaburkett2136]

Hi! I am 74 years old. Married for 20 yrs. to a military man (USVavy), and I have been divorced for 30 yrs. Now my Ex husband deceaced last year. I applied for benefits and I have received a letter from DFAS Department of Finance Accounting Service informing me that Ido not qualify for any benefits. Because DFAS said my ex did not make a request to change his election to former spouse coverage nor was deemed election for former spouse coverage made by me. For a Deemed Former spouse election must be received with in one year of the divorce. We do not know anything about it. Is ther any help for me.

[@LaurieItkin]

Unfortunately, I do not think you have any recourse. Your divorce attorney should have ensured that a QDRO was filed concurrent with the divorce.

[@sharonstrauss1146]

Why do they still get married.Sounds it's all about money and finances.

[@TheMostHighDaughter180]

It’s just a shame that attorneys that are doing these divorces don’t tell their clients about QDROs. So much time wasted.

[@brookerogers881]

Hello

[@azhalopeno]

Horrible experience with QDRO attorney ... don't respond to clients, provide zero proof they complete to contractual work ... attorneys are not all the same ... some are bad ... some bad ones endorsed here ... numerous bar complaints

[@tregona25]

this is why lawyers are the worse garbage of all....thriving on someone else's misery

[@DarthStacker]

I guess doctors, paramedics, funeral directors, insurance people, etc are also garbage since their services are used after an unpleasant life event.

[@fauxbro1983]

I wouldn't say that. But it's funny that it's 3 women just salivating over getting alimony/pensions etc

[@bonnieupton4114]

You must be a guy