Depth of Experience
Extensive hands-on experience with over 64,000 retirement division orders, encompassing a wide range of retirement benefit structures and division requirements.
RETIREMENT DIVISION CONSULTING & DRAFTING
Retirement division requires more than a well-drafted order.
Carolina QDROs provides family law attorneys with specialized retirement division knowledge, experienced drafting, and direct consulting support. We approach each matter with an understanding of the retirement benefit being divided, the parties' settlement terms, and the requirements governing the division process.
Retirement Administration ExperienceHuman-Drafted, Not GeneratedDirect Human Support
Why Carolina QDROs
Specialized knowledge. Individual attention. Professional accountability.
Retirement division involves more than preparing an order. It requires an understanding of different retirement benefit structures, the provisions governing their division, and how settlement terms translate into benefits the plan can administer. Carolina QDROs brings that expertise directly to the attorneys we serve.
Direct Specialist Access
Work directly with Christina for drafting, consulting, and guidance throughout the retirement division process.
Continuity & Accountability
A consistent point of contact, clear communication, and informed attention to matters from retention through completion.
For attorneys
Retirement division expertise,
without adding to your workload.
What counsel can expect
- Clear intake requirements and document requests
- Orders drafted to implement the intended retirement division
- Preapproval coordination when available
- Responsive revisions and meaningful status updates
- Direct communication with your retirement division consultant
- Straightforward explanations of retirement benefits and division requirements
Built around your practice
Your retirement division resource, from start to finish.
Carolina QDROs provides specialized consulting and drafting support throughout the retirement division process. Counsel receives direct access to Christina, clear communication, and practical assistance when questions or complications arise.
Request a Consultation ↗Our services
Retirement plans do not all divide the same way.
Retirement plans do not all divide the same way. We review each matter’s plan type, documentation, and requirements to determine the appropriate drafting support.
QDROs
ERISA Defined-Contribution Plans & Pensions
Drafting of QDROs for ERISA-governed retirement plans, including defined-contribution plans and pensions.
Flat Fee: $700
Includes drafting and plan preapproval where available.
Non-ERISA Division Orders
Division orders for non-ERISA retirement plans that accept a court order to divide benefits.
Flat Fee: $700
Includes drafting and plan preapproval where available.
State & Local Government Plans
Division orders for state and local public retirement systems with plan-specific requirements and procedures.
Flat Fee: $700
Includes drafting and plan preapproval where available.
Federal & Railroad Retirement
Retirement division orders for federal benefits, including TSP and FERS.
Flat Fee: $700
Includes drafting and preapproval for Railroad and TSP. FERS does not offer preapproval.
Cross-Border Retirement Division
Retirement division matters requiring coordination across jurisdictions.
Flat Fee: $700
Includes drafting and preapproval where available.
Pre-Settlement Language Review
Review of proposed retirement division language before settlement to identify drafting or plan-specific issues before the agreement is finalized. Modification-language assistance is also available.
Included at no additional charge when Carolina QDROs is retained to draft the resulting order.
Standalone Review: $400
Order Review & Resolution
Review of existing orders, rejected drafts, opposing counsel’s proposed orders, and unresolved retirement division matters from prior divorces. The review includes a written opinion identifying issues and recommended next steps.
Flat Fee: $350
If Carolina QDROs is subsequently retained to redraft the order, the $350 review fee is credited toward the $700 drafting fee.
Retirement Records Requests
For cooperative participants, Carolina QDROs can request retirement plan records directly after the participant signs an authorization.
$100 per plan
When participant authorization is not available, we can assist counsel with appropriate subpoena language where applicable. Subpoena-language assistance is included at no additional charge when Carolina QDROs is retained to draft the related retirement division order.
BEYOND DOCUMENT PREPARATION
The details of retirement division make a difference.
Two retirement plans can appear similar on paper yet require entirely different approaches to division. Understanding those distinctions, recognizing potential issues in settlement terms, and knowing how retirement benefits are administered are essential to carrying out the parties' intended division.
Knowledge Beyond the Template
Retirement benefits are not interchangeable. Different plan structures, benefit provisions, and division methods call for informed drafting decisions.
Issues Identified Early
Recognizing ambiguous settlement language, missing allocation instructions, and benefit considerations that may otherwise complicate implementation.
Experience When Complications Arise
Understanding qualification procedures, administrator requirements, and the practical steps needed when an order requires clarification or revision.
About Carolina QDROs
Experience you can draw on. Expertise you can rely on.
Carolina QDROs was founded on the belief that retirement division requires more than preparing documents. Led by Christina, an experienced retirement division consultant, the company provides family law attorneys with direct access to specialized knowledge, informed drafting, and practical guidance developed through years of hands-on experience with retirement division matters.
Our Focus
Retirement division is our specialty. From settlement language considerations to drafting and qualification, our work is centered on understanding retirement benefits and helping counsel navigate their division.
Our Standard
Experienced, human-drafted work supported by professional judgment, clear communication, and direct access to the specialist handling your matter.
Our Commitment
To provide attorneys with a knowledgeable retirement division resource who can answer questions, recognize complications, and offer practical guidance throughout the process.
The people behind your matter
Meet the Team
Christina Schmidt
Principal, Carolina QDROs | Retirement Plan Division Consultant
Christina Schmidt is the Principal of Carolina QDROs and a retirement plan division consultant with over two decades of hands-on experience in QDRO administration, plan operations, QDRO drafting, retirement education, and technical consulting. Over the course of her career, she has reviewed and implemented more than 60,000 domestic relations orders in plan administration roles.
Since moving into drafting in 2017, she has personally drafted more than 4,000 QDROs and related retirement division orders. Her work has involved plans sponsored by major corporations, financial institutions, professional sports organizations, defense contractors, and federal, state, and local government entities. Across drafting, review, implementation, and administration, her work has involved plans sponsored by roughly 70% of companies represented on the current Fortune 500 list. She has also worked with counsel on matters involving executives, public figures, and working families, including resolving retirement-division issues in settlement agreements before an order could be effectively drafted.
She is known for her discretion, her ability to work effectively with counsel and plan stakeholders, and her practical understanding of how retirement division language is interpreted and implemented on the plan side.
Connect with Christina on LinkedIn ↗CSCourtney SchmidtPhoto coming soon
Courtney Schmidt
QDRO Communications Coordinator
Courtney is completing her associate degree this fall and plans to pursue North Carolina paralegal certification next year. Having grown up homeschooled, often within arm’s reach of Christina while she worked on QDROs, Courtney was introduced to the retirement division world long before it became part of her own professional experience.
As a QDRO Communications Coordinator, Courtney has been responsible for plan submissions and responses, communications with retirement plan administrators, and ongoing case follow-up. Through that work, she has continued to build her knowledge of retirement plans while developing strong communication skills with attorneys, plan representatives, and other professionals involved in the QDRO process.
Courtney brings a thoughtful, organized, and people-focused approach to her work and continues to expand both her technical knowledge and her role within the retirement division space.
RETIREMENT DIVISION, EXPLAINEDShort videos.
Short videos.
Clear answers.
Retirement division insights from Christina Schmidt, covering QDRO requirements, settlement agreement considerations, pension division, and the practical issues attorneys encounter.
Carolina QDROs
Retirement Plan Division Consultant
Start a Case
Provide your case, party, and retirement plan information using our New Matter Intake Form.
Start a Case ↗