Hello Family Law Section members,
On
Friday, Dec. 14, NJICLE will present
Understanding Qualified Domestic Relations Orders from
9 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. at the
Westin, Mt. Laurel.
Retirement assets are often a significant part of marital property. Yet, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) prohibits an employee's retirement benefits from being transferred or alienated in any way. One important exception to this is a QDRO (a Qualified Domestic Relations Order).
A QDRO allows a plan administrator to transfer plan assets from a titled spouse to a non-titled spouse after a divorce has been finalized. Since pensions are often the single largest asset a couple can hold, family attorneys must have an understanding of the methodologies used by pension administrators to distribute pension assets and how survivors are treated when the titled spouse dies.
Even if you leave the drafting to an expert, having a solid understanding of this important issue allows you to negotiate more effectively and obtain fairer settlements for your clients. At this informative seminar, our panelists demystify the calculations and formulas pension administrators commonly use and show you how to maximize your client's share of the pension division. You will come away with an understanding of how QDROs operate, how they will impact your client's divorce settlement and what you need to do to maximize their benefits to your clients.
FACULTY
Moderator/Speaker:Mark K. Altschuler, M.S.
Pension Analysis Consultants, Inc., Elkins Park, PA
Speakers:Jennifer Brandt, Esq.
Cozen O'Connor,
Cherry Hill and Philadelphia
Sarah Martine Belfi, Esq.
Martine & Katz Scanlon, PA, Voorhees
David Carton, Esq.
Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney.
Mandelbaum Salsburg, PC, Roseland
TOPICS
• When does your client need a QDRO
• The difference between defined benefit and defined contribution plans and separate interest vs. shared payment approaches
• What happens if a QDRO is needed, but you don't get one? (Hint-major problems)
• 3 Main errors in property settlement agreements regarding QDROs
• The effects of QDROS that are administered under section 403(b) plans
• Pension discovery information that should be requested and reviewed prior to drafting or reviewing a judgment of divorce or a QDRO
… and more.
CLE Credits:NJ CLE information: This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 4.0 hours of total CLE credit. Of these, 4.0 qualify as hours of credit towards certification in matrimonial law.
NJ CLE: This program has been approved for 4.0 credits (50 minute hour) Matrimonial Law
Attorney Certification: 4.0 general credits pending
PA CLE: 3.0 substantive credits pending ($12 fee – separate check payable to NJICLE must be submitted at the end of the program)
NY CLE (t&nt): 4.0 professional practice credits
The tuition for NJSBA members is $172. The general tuition is $215.
Click here to register for Understanding Qualified Domestic Relations Orders.
Click here to download a form to register.
Click here for a form to register a group.
For questions or to register by phone, please contact an association representative at 732-214-8500.
All the best,
Barbara
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Barbara Straczynski
Director of New Media and Promotions
New Jersey State Bar Association
New Brunswick NJ
(732) 937-7524
[email protected]------------------------------