Get A Domestic Relations Order As Part Of Your Virginia Divorce
Regardless of your age as you approach divorce, you owe it to yourself, your children and your family to carefully consider all assets that may figure into the equitable distribution of property. Retirement benefits are an important marital asset in many marriages. Determining portions of marital and nonmarital assets in retirement accounts is part of a thorough analysis of the total value of a marital estate.
As soon as you realize or suspect that divorce is on the horizon, contact a knowledgeable Virginia family law attorney who will see to it that you understand your rights and responsibilities. At the law office of Barnes & Diehl, part of our representation in a Virginia divorce consists of listing, defining and preparing to qualify retirement benefits under a client’s or a client’s spouse’s employer-sponsored retirement plan. Our attorneys are knowledgeable and adept at protecting a client’s financial interests in a divorce.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help. We will obtain detailed information about employee benefits and contact plan administrators to prepare qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs).
Virginia Divorce Attorneys With Proven Results In Getting Domestic Relations Orders Right
One of our clients believed that her husband’s 401(k) plan retirement savings account was the entire retirement benefits available in the marriage. Upon closer examination, our lawyer learned that his company retirement plans included five other qualified and deferred compensation benefits.
There is no getting around the importance of having an astute and attentive family law attorney exercise due diligence in discovery of available retirement plans and other employee benefits before a divorce. The following are only some of the factors that may figure into your or your spouse’s retirement benefit provisions:
- Stock options
- Pensions
- Military retirement benefits
- Life insurance
- Other benefits
We also consider it important to spend time discussing with a client what his or her intentions are in divorce. Some people want to be fair in seeking equitable property distribution. Others want to ensure that children’s security will not be put at risk. Others wish to protect all possible assets by any means. A series of candid conversations between a family law attorney and a divorce client helps us get to the bottom of what that client’s real goals are. We can then act as well-informed advocates.
Talk To A Lawyer Who Will Take All Your Financial Concerns Into Account
Many people approaching a divorce are concerned about legal fees and other costs involved in a divorce. We understand this point of view and strive to make clients aware of the likely cost-to-benefit ratio of the search for marital assets. To put it roughly, you don’t want to dig a hole 100 feet deep in order to uncover a trickle of water. We have the experience and knowledge earned through three decades of handling divorces to know when a search for assets is likely to be worthwhile. An asset such as stock options may be worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.
Whether you are the spouse who has retirement benefits or the spouse who is more financially dependent in a marriage, we encourage you to discuss your marital financial big picture with an astute family law attorney who can help you understand what is at stake. Contact Barnes & Diehl, to discuss your overall big picture with an insightful lawyer.
Schedule A Consultation On QDROs And Other Domestic Relations Orders In Divorce
An attorney from Barnes & Diehl, is a valuable source of information and assistance for Virginians approaching a divorce. Our team approach offers value and depth to our family law practice.
Talk with a Virginia attorney about divorce and retirement funds. Contact us by phone at 800-626-9310 or by email to reach us at our Richmond metro offices in Chesterfield and Henrico today. Ask for a lawyer’s review of your options, your rights and the best strategies for the pursuit of your overall goals in divorce.