How We Assist Those Unrepresented
An attorney is not required to proceed with the drafting of a QDRO, DPO or other similar order (collectively referred to as DROs). However, if you do not understand the process, the extent of your legal rights, or the meaning of anything related to this process, then you should consult an attorney.
There are many options to consider and many decisions that must be made by the parties in establishing a DRO. Accordingly, we strongly urge the parties subject to a DRO to consult counsel so as to ensure their intentions and interests are accurately reflected in any order prepared by QDRO Partners.
Benjamin Nyhan founded QDRO Partners in 2016 and is your sole contact for all inquiries, requests, questions and drafting. All drafting and consulting matters are handled directly by Ben.
Ben’s mission is to take the oftentimes convoluted and multifaceted process of dividing retirement assets and making it as simplified as possible for those involved, which involves providing clear instructions on the action items that must be undertaken once the drafting is completed.
How to Proceed
Please complete this form and we will respond with information on how to proceed with our services. In the meantime, see the outline below detailing the general process.
General Process
1
Payment and necessary documents submitted to QDRO Partners
(provided to you upon filling out the form above)
2
Discovery
Many matters require an element of discovery to determine and uncover several pieces of information and documents from the participant’s plan. Those include, but are not limited to, determining the official name of the plan that is at issue and whether there are any specific procedures or requirements for the plan. The more information that is provided to us at the outset, such as the name and contact information for the HR or Benefits specialist at the employer or even the plan’s QDRO Procedures, can greatly expedite this process. Sometimes this is a same-day process; other times it takes several weeks, or even longer.
3
Drafting
Once the necessary information is obtained from the plan, we are ready to draft. Generally, once we have payment in full, all necessary documents and information, the drafting turnaround time is 7-10 days.
4
Draft Order sent to requesting party(ies)
The proposed DRO is sent to the requesting party(ies). From there, QDRO Partners’ scope of work has concluded.
5
Signature, Filing, and Submission
The DRO will need to be reviewed, signed by parties, submitted to the judge for signature and filing, and a court-certified copy submitted to the plan administrator for review and approval. QDRO Partners is NOT involved in this process and is oftentimes why it is beneficial to have an attorney.
6
Review Period and Determination
There is no uniform time frame for a plan to review the court-certified DRO and make a final determination as to whether it is approved and qualified. Generally, once they have the court-certified Order in their possession, it is a 2-4 week turnaround. The Order will either be approved or denied; this notification will be mailed to all interested parties.