If you divorce, your retirement benefits could be affected. Retirement benefits are considered marital property and can be divided between you and your ex-spouse when the marriage ends.

• Your ex-spouse may be entitled to a portion of your pension
• You may be required to name your ex-spouse as beneficiary of any pre-retirement death benefit payable
• You may be required to elect a retirement option that provides a continuing benefit to your ex-spouse in the event of your death
• Your ex-spouse may be entitled to a portion of your Cost-of-Living Adjustment

Any division of your benefits must be stated in the form of a Domestic Relations Order (DRO) — a legal document that gives us specific instructions on how your benefits should be divided.

Please read our Guide to Domestic Relations Orders before you finalize your divorce.