Retirement & QDRO: Protecting Your Nest Egg

Retirement assets must be divided via court order to avoid tax penalties.

• Plan Statements:

  Obtain the most recent Summary Plan Description (SPD) for all 401(k)s and pensions.

• IRA Transfers:

  Draft language for a "transfer incident to divorce" to keep the split tax-deferred.

• Vesting Schedules:

  Determine if employer-matched contributions are fully vested.

• QDRO Specialist:

  Retain a specialized attorney to draft the formal plan administrator order.