# QDRO question...



## don'tmesswithtexas (Jul 18, 2013)

STBX and I have been married 13 years and are trying to do discovery through our attorneys. He says that my retirement and his retirement payments calculations will nearly offset each other after the math is done but even if I got $150 more a month from his I think we should still get those checks from each other when we retire. $150 more on my receiving end per month adds up but he wants me to take his retirement out of the negotiations equation and take more money from the house sale instead. 
I think in the long run the retirement would be worth more and it would be there for me years from now as a secured income. 
Any input or did you fight for the retirement benefits?


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## Pluto2 (Aug 17, 2011)

QDRO's are one of the most complicated aspects of property settlements and lots of attorneys will encourage their client's to offset some other property, rather than attempt a QDRO. Push it if you like, but be for worned that you will eat more attorneys' fees as a result. If you can get some additional cash from the house, why not put that in a Roth IRA and let it generate some additional income for you in retirement. How long do you have to retire?


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## lenzi (Apr 10, 2012)

Should be easy enough to figure out the numbers and make it fair.


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## don'tmesswithtexas (Jul 18, 2013)

I am only 42 and STBX is 48 and will maybe work another 10-12 years is my guess.


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## 33N 96W (Aug 25, 2012)

*The secret to doubling your retirement income is...*

to stay married!


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## lenzi (Apr 10, 2012)

33N 96W said:


> *The secret to doubling your retirement income is...*
> 
> to stay married!


You seem to forget that while you might double your retirement income you're now splitting that money between two people as in "dividing in half" so the net result of the calculations is a break even. I know, you're wondering why you didn't realize that yourself.

To take it a step further, you could apply that doubling and halving formula to all of your pre-divorce, joint marital assets. 

So? What you're saying isn't something everyone contemplating divorce doesn't already know. 

In my case I'm way ahead because my now exwife spent a heck of a lot more than "her half".


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## Tomara (Jun 19, 2013)

QDRO's are a stinker! I was divorce and it took another 4 years after that to actually finish the paperwork. Was getting ready to file comtempt of court because he would not finish the paper work. He ended up getting half of my retirement and I go half of his. I now get a check every month. But here's the kicker, if he dies then the check stops (Per State Retirement Plan). So, I threw in a add on. I made him keep me on an insurance plan that he owns. If he dies before 70 I get 70,000 in cash. Here's hoping he kicks the bucket at 69


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