HOW ARE RETIREMENT BENEFITS DIVIDED?
Federal law dictates that a pension plan can only be divided if the court enters an order dividing the pension benefits. This order is referred to as a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). In essence, the QDRO directs the plan administrator of the pension benefit to divide the pension. The QDRO cannot dictate to the plan administrator to do something that the plan administrator cannot do under federal law or is contrary to the plan.
