Can an ex-spouse receive all or a portion of a Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity if the participant dies before retirement?
Yes. It is possible to include a provision in a QDRO that states that the ex-spouse is to be considered the “surviving spouse” for purposes of all or a portion of the Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity payable on behalf of the Participant in the event he/she should die prior to commencement of benefits. The ex-spouse can be the surviving spouse for all of this death benefit or for just the portion of the death benefit attributable to the portion of the pension awarded in the QDRO.
