How are retirement plan assets handled during a divorce?

A Qualified Domestic Relations Order, or QDRO, will specify the terms under which you or your former spouse can receive an interest in a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or pension. To avoid mandatory withholding, make sure the transfer is made directly from one qualified, tax exempt account to another.

Rock A. Tate is a Financial Advisor, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ at The Tate Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.