QDRO and DRO drafting
Plan-specific orders prepared from the judgment, settlement agreement, and plan procedures—not from a one-size-fits-all form.
QDRO drafting support for attorneys
Clear orders.
Fewer surprises.
Focused drafting and plan-approval support for the retirement orders that follow divorce—with particular attention to New Jersey public pensions and private employer plans.
Attorney-directed engagements · Remote document workflow · Fixed fees quoted in advance
A narrow specialty,
handled carefully.
handled carefully.
Plan-specificDrafting tied to the actual plan and its procedures
Attorney-facingPrepared for counsel’s review, approval, and filing
New Jersey focusIncluding PERS, TPAF, PFRS, and ERISA plans
Services
Support where retirement language becomes an order.
Each engagement begins with the governing divorce documents and the correct plan information. The goal is a technically complete draft that carries out the award without inventing terms the parties never agreed to.
Retirement-language review
Technical review of proposed settlement or judgment language before drafting, with ambiguities identified for counsel.
Plan pre-approval support
Submission support where available, review of administrator comments, and revisions coordinated through the attorney of record.
Independent technical review
A focused second review of an existing draft for formula, dates, survivor protection, gains and losses, and plan conflicts.
New Jersey concentration
Public pensions require their own approach.
New Jersey retirement systems are not private ERISA plans. Orders involving state and local public employees must follow the applicable system’s rules, terminology, and review process.
PERS and TPAF
Drafting built around the retirement system, benefit structure, and language controlling the member’s award.
PFRS and other public systems
Careful attention to benefit type, survivorship, commencement, and provisions that do not translate from private-plan forms.
Private employer plans
401(k), pension, 403(b), and other qualified-plan orders reviewed against the plan administrator’s procedures.
Process
A controlled path from file to draft.
A complete file at the beginning reduces avoidable questions and revisions later.
Counsel sends the file
The judgment or settlement agreement, plan information, party details, and relevant dates are collected before drafting begins.
The plan is verified
The plan’s formal name, type, procedures, model language, and pre-approval requirements are identified.
The order is drafted
The draft follows the governing award and addresses the technical terms needed for administration.
Counsel reviews and directs
The attorney reviews the draft, resolves any legal or client decisions, and authorizes the next step.
Plan comments are addressed
Where pre-approval is available, administrator feedback is incorporated before the order proceeds to entry.
About ClearQDRO
Document precision backed by a financial and legal-support background.
ClearQDRO is led by Karen Montague, a Certified QDRO Specialist based in Essex County, New Jersey. Her background combines accounting, business, paralegal studies, and detailed document review.
ClearQDRO works as technical drafting support for attorneys. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or representation.
- Certified QDRO Specialist
- Paralegal Studies, Boston University
- MBA and B.S. in Accounting
- New Jersey-based
- Remote, attorney-directed workflow
Refer a matter
Start with a short case summary.
Include the plan type, county, current case status, and whether a judgment or settlement agreement has been entered. You’ll receive the next-step document list and a fixed-fee quote.