What is the pension plan administrators role in the QDRO process?
The plan administrator’s role is to protect the interest of the pension plan. Often, that means protecting the interest of the employer who sponsors the pension plan. The plan administrator is not your enemy. But the pension plan administrator is not your friend, either. Even though plan administrators have a statutory obligation to process QDROs, some pension plan administrators view QDROs as a complete administrative nuisance. The plan administrator’s role is to follow the court’s instructions in the QDRO. A good quality QDRO, with clear and precise instructions, makes the plan administrator’s job easier.
