All QDRO types drafted, challenged, and defended for clients and colleagues. Navigate the complexities of dividing retirement benefits with confidence when you have expert guidance by an experienced QDRO lawyer dedicated to protecting your rights and achieving the best outcomes for you. Get in touch today to discuss your case.
Confidential counseling and legal advice for retirement benefit divisions.
Here when you need an advocate and legal representation for your QDROs.
Helping you navigate uncharted territory with expert assistance.
Decades of experience and the knowledge to secure your rights.
Discover your legal options
In the complex area of retirement benefit divisions, there is no substitute for a seasoned attorney. With 30 years of dedicated legal experience and over 10 years in QDRO law, Simmons offers subject-matter expertise to meet your legal needs. Expert knowledge on the latest legal developments provides you with the best possible informed and effective representation. Whether you need to divide company retirement benefits, military retired pay, railroad retirement, government retirement, or a church or nonprofit retirement plan, Simmons has you covered.
There are two kinds of QDRO lawyers: neutrals and advocates. This is an advocate-type law firm. A neutral does not align with or support any side or position in a controversy. Neutrals will write a QDRO and then hand it to you, after which you are on your own, because they do not follow up by advocating for you — if they did they would cease to be neutrals and become advocates. An advocate, by contrast, is committed to delivering a full spectrum of legal representation tailored to your unique situation. For dividing retirement benefits, whether you require consultation, negotiation, litigation, or settlement assistance, your case is handled with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail in a client-centered approach, which means working closely with you at every step to achieve the best possible outcome.
What sets the firm apart is deep knowledge and experience in a complicated, highly technical area of law, and in dedication to personalized service in a legal area where there isn’t much personalized advocacy available. You need an attorney who is a subject-matter expert, who understands the legal landscape, and who has built strong relationships within the community and around the nation to advocate effectively on your behalf. Excellence, a proven track record, unwavering commitment to legal ethics standards, and affordable fees make this firm the preferred choice for clients seeking trustworthy and skilled legal counsel for dividing retirement benefits. When the premiere Seattle area family law firms need the best QDRO expert, they call Simmons.
“QDRO” is a shorthand term for “Qualified Domestic Relations Order”. A QDRO is a court order aimed at a retirement plan, and its purpose is to divide retirement benefits between parties. Technically, the term applies to orders targeting retirement plans that are governed by the federal law known as ERISA, but the term is also commonly used in a generic sense to refer to any retirement benefit division court order. QDROs are issued by courts during and after domestic relations proceedings, either for property division, or for child or spousal support.
Billing is structured for both predictability and manageabilty: flat fees for a particular task confined to a set amount of time, or availability retainers for a period of time, or a combination of the two. Large advance fee deposits are never required. Fees can vary depending on the services needed and time involved. Transparent billing is important and a clear fee agreement is provided before work begins.
Financial constraints are understandable and in some cases payment plans could be offered. Simmons regularly contributes pro bono assistance to legal aid services organizations, and can give you a referral to one of them if you qualify. Please discuss your situation during the consultation.
QDROs carry out what a divorce decree has already ordered, so start with that. If the court has not yet entered your decree but you do have a property settlement agreement, that is your starting point. If you do not yet have either one, Simmons can help you, and your divorce counsel, structure your agreement and decree regarding your retirement benefits. Gather any relevant documents related to your case and provide a list of questions or concerns you may have. This helps with understanding your situation better and provides a starting point for accurate assessments and advice.
The office is in the Puget Sound region of Washington State and is now fully virtual. Out of court, work is done by email, voice, and mail, as that saves everyone money. Court work is performed on location for courts that do not accommodate virtual appearances. In person meetings are by appointment only, and in the interest of efficiency and cost control, usually unnecessary. Responses to inquiry emails and calls are on weekdays, generally between 10 am and 6 pm. Accommodation for your schedule can be made in special circumstances.
Send mail to:
Marjorie Simmons, Esq.
P. O. Box 40
Mount Vernon WA 98273
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