The 401(k) Divorce Mistake That Costs Americans Thousands and How a Single Document Prevents It

A divorce settlement awards the non-participant spouse $200,000 from a $400,000 401(k). The divorce decree spells it out ...

The 401(k) Beneficiary Mistake That Could Send $400,000 to the Wrong Person

A $400,000 401(k) does not follow the will. It follows the beneficiary form. For a surprising number of account holders, ...
Think Advisor

3915 / What is a qualified domestic relations order?

A Qualified Domestic Relations Order (“QDRO”) is a judgment, decree, or order (including an approval of a property settlement agreement) that awards all or a portion of a participant’s benefits to an ...
Salon

Splitting up? Protect your retirement funds

“The reason a QDRO is necessary is that retirement accounts are in the name of one spouse. The plan administrator is not permitted to divide the account without a QDRO,” said Laurie Itkin, certified ...
Law

Qualified Domestic Relations Orders Play Key Role in Distribution of Retirement Assets in Divorce

When it’s time to allocate assets in a divorce, a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) is required to transfer assets from one spouse’s retirement account to another without triggering penalties ...
Think Advisor

3591 / How are domestic relations orders treated in conjunction with Section 457(b) “eligible” nonqualified deferred compensation plans?

The Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) rules applicable to qualified plans ( Q 3915) also apply to eligible Section 457 plans, so that the IRC Section 457(d) distribution rules are not violated ...