What it is

A QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) is a special court order that splits retirement accounts — 401(k)s, pensions, and IRAs — between divorcing spouses without triggering early withdrawal taxes or penalties.

When you need this

• Either spouse has retirement accounts that need to be divided
• You want to split a 401(k), pension, or IRA as part of the divorce
• You need to avoid tax penalties when dividing retirement funds

What you'll need to answer

• Most recent retirement account statements
• Plan administrator contact information
• The desired split percentage or dollar amount
• The type of plan (401k, pension, IRA, 403b, etc.)