Expand All Collapse All

• Do you provide free initial consultations?

  Yes.

• What is a QDRO?

  A QDRO is a document prepared by an attorney, filed with a court and approved by a retirement plan administrator that allows divorcing parties to share or divide retirement accounts or pensions. In common parlance, QDRO is pronounced "quad-drow."

  "QDRO" is an acronym for Qualified Domestic Relation Order. A Qualified Domestic Relations Order is a creature of federal statute and is codified in the Employee Retirement Security Income Act of 1974 (referred to as "ERISA") and the Internal Revenue Code. A QDRO is a special form of "domestic relations order" or "DRO" that creates the existence of an "alternate payee's" (former spouse's) right to receive all or a portion of the benefits payable under a participant's (employee's or retiree's) retirement account or pension.

  Government plans are generally exempt from the QDRO laws but can be divided by other types of DROs, which we also draft.

• What is an EDRO?

  An EDRO is unique to Michigan. It is used to divide certain pensions or retirement accounts of state and municipal employees. We charge the same fee for QDROs and EDROs.

• What are your fees for QDRO or EDRO preparation?

  We charge a flat fee of $450 for each QDRO (all 50 states) or EDRO (Michigan Public Plans).

• What do the flat fees include?

  Our flat fees include the following:

  -- All consultations with you and your attorney until the QDRO is final

  -- Assistance with drafting retirement account and pension provisions for your Judgment of Divorce

  -- Any assistance you need completing our Request Form

  -- Obtaining information from the retirement plan needed for the QDRO or EDRO

  -- Preparation of a custom QDRO or EDRO that conforms to the law, plan rules and your Judgment

  -- Submission to the retirement plan for approval

  -- All discussions with the retirement plan and all revisions needed to obtain approval.

  -- Instruction for obtaining the Judge's signature

  -- Clear intructions and custom transmittal letters for mailing the final version to the plan

  -- Tax advice, where applicable, on distributions

  -- Review of any Determination Letters to ensure proper interpretation of the QDRO or EDRO

• How long does it take you to prepare a QDRO or EDRO?

  We submit orders to the plan for approval within two weeks. Further, if any plan requests changes to an order we draft, those changes will be made within one week.

• What does Guaranteed Approval mean?

  You will receive a complete refund if we cannot obtain plan approval of the QDRO or EDRO we draft. No exceptions.

• I live in a different state. Will you prepare a QDRO for me?

  Yes. We prepare QDROs for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories. EDROs are unique to Michigan. We do not prepare orders for local government plans outside of Michigan.

• Do you accept credit cards?

  Yes. We accept all major credit cards. Credit card transactions are processed securely and directly through Google Checkout in the Forms/Pay Online section of the website. We also accept checks and money orders.

• When do I need a QDRO?

  A QDRO should be prepared and entered with the Judgment of Divorce or as soon as possible thereafter. Delay in obtaining a QDRO can harm one or both of the divorcing parties.

• What should I do with a QDRO and when should I do it?

  All of our QDRO and EDROs include detailed instructions and transmittal letters for processing. If you need additional assistance, please read our article entitled "The QDRO Process Steps" which is available in the Articles section of our website.

• I already have a Judgment of Divorce. Won't that work?

  No. Your Judgement of Divorce does not meet the legal requirements to divide a retirement account or pension and it will not conform to the retirement plan's rules for divorce-related sharing.

• What about plans that are not subject to QDROs or EDROs? Do you prepare orders for those plans?

  Yes. We prepare orders for federal government employees (COAPs), the military (QCOs), Non-Qualified Plans and virtually all other plans that can be divided by domestic relations orders. Contact us for request forms and pricing.

• Will you review an order that someone else prepared?

  Yes. It is very important that you review an order that was prepared by the other side or even a neutral preparer. We charge a flat fee of $200 for a review. See our Forms page.

• How can we get started?

  By completing our Request Form. Please call us if you have any difficulties with the Request Form.

• What if I am not represented by an attorney?

  We prepare QDROs and work directly with divorcing parties who may no longer be represented by attorneys ("in pro per" or "pro se"). QDRO preparers who are not lawyers or not organized as a law firm are prohibited from working with unrepresented clients. We do, however, strongly encourage you to continue representation by your divorce attorneys.

*Some documents available on this site require FREE Adobe® Reader® software for viewing.