Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)
A qualified domestic relations order is an order that needs to be prepared within a divorce when dealing with pension funds or qualified retirement accounts. The QDRO establishes your soon-to-be-ex-spouse’s legal right to receive a designated percentage of your qualified plan account balance or benefit payments.
For non-qualified retirement accounts, such as an IRA, a QDRO is not necessary. Instead, the written agreement will suffice to transfer the funds.
There are special exceptions for qualified retirement accounts when money is being transferred pursuant to a divorce. Be sure to ask your mediator about the options you have available when discussing your retirement accounts.
Because a QDRO is not necessary in every case, this is not a document included in a standard mediation package, but can be added to any package you do chose.
