Any form of compensation other that the direct wage or salary of the employee.

A form of settlement that requires a Domestic Relations Order. The Alternate Payee must generally wait until the actual retirement of the employee to collect his or her pension benefit. It is possible for an Alternate Payee to begin collecting a benefit at the employee's Earliest Retirement Age. Alternate Payee's are strongly cautioned against beginning to collect prior to the earlier of the employee's normal retirement age or actual retirement. Reason: Under the federal pension a substantial actuarial reduction will be imposed on the Alternate Payee's pension benefit.

A form of pension that guarantees the employee a stated benefit at his or her retirement. This benefit is actuarially determined and does not depend on investment gains or losses. The form of benefit paid under this type of plan is generally a monthly annuity.

Retirement benefits are considered marital/community property. Upon divorce this asset will be divided between the parties incident to a Property Settlement Agreement or imposed by a court as a result of a trial. In all states other than Florida and Texas some form of the Coverture Fraction (Time Rule) discussed above is used to determine the respective shares of the parties.

As used herein it is a written instrument delineating the marital/community property interest of an Alternate Payee in the pension benefits of the employee. This Order is without effect until it is executed by a court and then "Qualified" by a plan administrator.