Last page edit 12/17/07
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Pensions
– An Overlooked Type of Marital Property If you are handling your own
divorce, one important type of marital property that can be easily overlooked is
the interest your spouse has in his/her pension.
You or your child may be entitled
to some (or all) of your spouse’s pension benefits with his/her employer(s). Over the years this can be worth far more than the household
furnishings or a car. Before you move ahead, -
take the pension self –
quiz - review a few questions and answers about Pensions and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDRO). If you might be eligible for
benefits under your spouse’s pension plan, it will be necessary to consult
with a lawyer who specializes in this type of case. Some people are concerned
they do not have enough money to have a lawyer.
However, even if you decide to not go ahead with your claim, it is
important to know what you might be giving up.
In some cases, you may find it wise to borrow money to pay an attorney to
secure your rights to this potentially valuable marital asset. You will note that this issue is likely to be one where you will need the
services of an attorney. Pension
Self – Quiz
Does your spouse currently have a
pension plan with his/her employer? Does your spouse have a pension
plan with a former employer? Does (or has) your spouse worked for:
If you answered “yes” to even
one of the above, you should consult an attorney. First review the Frequently Asked Questions about pensions and divorce / support. |
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| Source: Maryland Legal Assistance Network |
Last legal review (MLAN) |
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About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders. In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language Source: Maryland's Peoples Law Library www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007. |
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