Not only should your QDRO include specific details regarding the amount of the alternate payee's benefits, it should also include instructions regarding the allocation of benefits form the participant's accounts. Alternatively, you may include an instruction in the QDRO that requires the Plan Administrator to carve out the alternate payee's share of the benefits on [...]

No. If the intent is to provide the alternate payee with interest and investment income or losses that are attributable to his/her share of the benefits from the date of assignment to the date of distribution, the QDRO must include specific language to this effect. If the QDRO does not include a specific reference regarding [...]

Generally no. If the alternate payee dies before he/she elects to commence benefits in accordance with the terms of the QDRO, in almost all cases no benefits are payable to alternate payee's beneficiary or estate. Even if the QDRO includes language that provides for payments to be made to the beneficiary or estate of the [...]

No. Even if the QDRO includes a specific date when the alternate payee is to commence his/her share of the benefits, the alternate payee will not commence his/her benefits until a benefit distribution election form and any other associated paperwork as may be required by the Plan Administrator, is properly completed by the alternate payee. [...]

With respect to a defined contribution plan, an alternate payee is entitled to commence his/her share of the benefits as soon as administratively feasible following the date the QDRO is approved by the Plan Administrator and upon completion by the alternate payee of the necessary distribution forms and other paperwork as may be required by [...]

In order to obtain information regarding the status of a certain Plan participant, you must furnish the Plan Administrator with a written, signed release from the participant or a subpoena.

The actuarial adjustment necessary to convert a participant's benefits into different forms and/or payment periods so that the total value of a participant's pension benefits remains equal (on an actuarial basis) regardless of the form of benefit or the commencement date the participant may elect.

The age at which a plan participant may first commence pension benefits under the provisions of the plan. Normally, benefits payable to someone before normal retirement age are actuarially reduced to reflect the earlier commencement of benefits.

Contributions made to a defined contribution benefit plan, such as a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan, by the employer based on a certain percentage of the employee's own contribution. For example, an employer may contribute 50 cents on the dollar for each dollar which an employee contributes to the plan on a payroll deduction basis, up [...]

The accrued benefit in which the plan participant is vested based on the individual's years of vesting service with the company. Normally, a plan participant becomes fully vested in pension benefits after five years of service. However, some pension plans use a graded vesting schedule in which a participant's vesting percentage increases each year until [...]