Offering Proven Expertise in Retirement Benefits Valuation and QDRO drafting.
Moon, Schwartz & Madden is a consulting firm that specializes in assisting individuals, family law attorneys and their clients in valuing and dividing the community/marital property interest in retirement benefits.
We provide court trusted divorce valuation of retirement plans in all community property and equitable distribution states, such as Texas & Illinois , as well as (Q)DROs in California, New Mexico & Idaho.
MSM is not a law firm, and therefore cannot provide legal advice of any kind to our clients, but we are considered experts by the court in the valuation and division of retirement benefits in divorce.
Contact
Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
(925) 258-7100
(714) 430-8984
Services
Articles
Pension valuations in divorce: Actuarial valuation vs. Life Expectancy valuation explained.
Actuarial Standards of Practice (ASOPs) are guidelines established by the Actuarial Standards Board (ASB) for valuation experts to follow when performing professional services. ASOP No. 34 pertains to the selection and use of economic assumptions [...]
Gray Divorce – Helpful tips on understanding (Q)DRO income streams, pension valuations and survivor benefits.
Gray Divorce – Helpful tips on understanding (Q)DRO income streams, pension valuations and survivor benefits. The increase in divorce for people over the age of 50 has risen significantly in [...]
How to correctly value the community property interest in a public retirement plan such as the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico
How to correctly value the community property interest in a public retirement plan such as the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico Often clients wish to [...]
It’s a simple 401(k) QDRO, what could go wrong?
It's a simple 401(k) QDRO, what could go wrong? Although a qualified defined contribution plan QDRO is generally less complicated than a defined benefit plan QDRO, there are still areas which [...]
How to Correctly Value the Community Property Interest In a Public Retirement Plan
How to Correctly Value the Community Property Interest In a Public Retirement Plan Often clients wish to consider offsetting the community property interest in a Santa Barbara County Employees Retirement System [...]
Common mistakes in understanding monthly benefit calculated under a defined benefit plan QDRO.
Common mistakes in understanding monthly benefit calculated under a defined benefit plan QDRO. A defined benefit plan QDRO can be extremely confusing when it comes to estimating how much the participant and [...]
Blog
Sacramento County Public Law Library
QDROS Explained:Understanding QDRO Provisions, Joinders, Judgment Language and Survivor Benefits John Madden co-owner of Moon, Schwartz and Madden, is a nationally known retirement benefits valuation expert. In this webinar, [...]
How to Get Started
Return a completed intake form to our office via mail, email or fax (we do not accept drop offs). Copies of our intake forms are available on this site on the Work Request Forms page. If our office is to prepare a QDRO(s), please provide a copy of the Judgment/MSA or instructions on how to divide the account; as well as, the signed SR Guidelines for self represented clients. If more information is needed, we will contact you immediately via email.
Once your intake form and supporting documents are reviewed by one of our experts, an official estimate of cost will be sent via email.
We will begin work upon receipt of full payment and all requested documentation.
In cases for which we are jointly retained, our office can not participate in any ex-parte communication (CA Family Law Code §216). Both parties will need to be included in all correspondence with our office.
Client Feedback
“Thank you (Mr. Schwartz) for your thorough and expert assistance.”
– A.W.
“MSM drafted my QDRO in a timely fashion and I appreciate it.”
– R.P.
“Thank you for extraordinary service.”
– M.W.
“John and you (Marla) were extremely helpful.”
– J.S.
