Retirement and Pension Division in Mediation Cases
In matters of complex property division during a divorce, dividing retirement benefits and other employee benefits often pose the most challenging problems. Mike Gregory is known for his skill in dividing retirement and employee benefits. Mike Gregory wrote and presented an article on Defined Benefit for Contribution Plans for the State Bar of Texas in 2010.
Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs)
One of the primary tools used to partition retirement benefits is the Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). The QDRO divides employee benefits earned by a "participant" (the person whose job gives the benefits) and shows what percentage or amount is awarded to the "alternate payee" (the spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent of the participant who receives the benefits).
Though a QDRO may sound simple, drafting QDROs is an art, requiring technical and complex drafting of an order from a variety of extremely complicated rules and regulations. The requirements to qualify domestic relations orders are very different for corporations, teacher retirement, local, state and federal government plans, and military plans. Defined Contribution Plans, like 401(k) Plans, and Defined Benefit Plans, like pension plans, each have different and complex drafting requirements.
Mike Gregory, of Gregory Family Law, has written a chapter on dividing retirement benefits in the Texas Family Law Practice Manual. He has nearly 40 years of experience in divorce and family law and is prepared to mediate cases in the most complex retirement and employee benefit plans.
Contact the Firm
Visit the contact page to set up an appointment and learn more about Gregory Family Law's work in dividing retirement benefits and other employee benefits. Or, call 940-387-1600.
