QDROs: Protecting Your Post-Divorce Financial Future

Retirement accounts are not exempt from Maryland’s equitable distribution laws. You may need a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) to ensure you get your fair share of these assets.

At Hecht & Associates, LLC, we know an unfair property settlement could affect your post-divorce life. From our Rockville office, our attorney is poised to work relentlessly to ensure you receive what you deserve, including retirement assets.

What Is A QDRO?

A QDRO is a court order authorizing a retirement plan administrator to direct payments from a participant employee’s pension plan to an alternate payee. A QDRO allows the court to properly distribute retirement assets equitably during a divorce.

Why Do You Need A QDRO?

Retirement plan administrators cannot typically distribute benefits to an alternate payee without a QDRO, which provides specific instructions for asset distribution.

A QDRO can specify various aspects of retirement asset division, including:

• Percentage or specific amount to be paid
• Duration of payments (until a specified date or for life)
• Form of payment (lump sum or ongoing payments)
• Start date for the payments

Securing A QDRO In Maryland

You have two main avenues to explore. If you and your spouse agree on how to divide retirement assets, your attorney can draft a QDRO reflecting this agreement for the court’s approval.

Unfortunately, agreement is not always possible. If this happens to you or your spouse will not negotiate, you can ask your lawyer to petition the court for a QDRO.

A QDRO is among the most complex legal documents used in divorce proceedings. It takes legal knowledge and experience to get it right – a task ideally suited for a lawyer specializing in divorce and asset division.

Trust Us To Preserve What Is Rightfully Yours

You need not navigate the complexities of QDRO matters alone. Call 301-861-4797 or contact us online to speak with our Rockville divorce attorney about your concerns.