Benefits Handbook

In the case of divorce, legal separation or child support order, the Plan may be required to pay all or a portion of your Marsh & McLennan Companies Retirement Plan benefit to your Spouse, former Spouse, child, or other dependent pursuant to a Qualified Domestic Relations Order. Review the information here on Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) rules for details. You can also find more information on what to do in the case of divorce in the Life Events section of the Benefits Handbook.

A qualified domestic relation order (QDRO) is a domestic relations order (DRO) that creates, or recognizes the existence of, the right of an alternate payee (Spouse, former Spouse, child(ren) or other dependent(s)) to receive all or a part of your vested Accrued Benefit under the Plan.

To qualify as a QDRO, a DRO must be a judgment, decree, or order that relates to the provision of child support, alimony payments, or marital property rights for the benefit of a Spouse, former Spouse, child, or other dependent.

The Plan will honor any DRO relating to your Plan benefit as long as it complies with the QDRO guidelines of the Plan and applicable legal requirements. A DRO must contain the following information to qualify as a QDRO acceptable under the Plan and ERISA.

The Alternate Payee's vested accrued benefit under a QDRO may be paid in the form of a single life annuity over the life of the Alternate Payee or in any optional form in which such benefits may be paid under the Plan to the participant (other than in the form of a contingent annuity).

If you wish to submit a DRO for review and approval as a QDRO, a draft order should be sent to QDRO Consultants Co. for approval prior to being finalized. If a DRO is finalized without prior approval by QDRO Consultants Co. and the DRO does not comply with the Plan's guidelines, you will be required to have it redrafted. All expenses in connection with obtaining a QDRO are you and your alternate payee's responsibility. However, any costs incurred by the Plan to determine whether a DRO is a QDRO will be the liability of the Plan.

In order to give any proposed Alternate Payee an interest in your retirement benefit, a Domestic Relations Order must be submitted to QDRO Consultants Co. at the following address:

You can also call QDRO Consultants Co. at +1 800 527 8481 with any questions or fax inquiries to them at +1 330 722 2735.

The terms of the QDRO will determine when an alternate payee may commence monthly benefit payments. The Plan Administrator will follow the terms of the QDRO.

If the QDRO provides for a division of the vested accrued benefit only after the participant's Benefit Commencement Date, then the alternate payee's monthly benefit payments will commence at the same time.

If the QDRO provides for a division of the participant's vested accrued benefit prior to the participant's Benefit Commencement Date, an alternate payee can commence monthly benefit payments on the first of the month on or after the participant attains age 55 provided the participant has 60 months (5 years) of Vesting Service at that time.

If you divorce and remarry, your new Spouse may qualify as a Spouse only with respect to a vested accrued benefit that has not previously been awarded to your former Spouse under a QDRO.