When a marriage ends, you are faced with many difficult choices about your future. Even while you're going through the emotional upheaval of divorce, you must also make smart financial decisions about dividing the property you own as a couple.

Retirement benefits are valuable assets: In order to protect your right to receive your fair share -- and maximize the benefits available to you -- you need to consider your options.

This eGuide will take you step by step through the process of figuring out how to divide your retirement plans when you divorce. It explains :

• how various types of retirement plans work 
• how to gather information about your retirement plans
• how the court will look at your retirement plans (the "legal value" of the plans)
• how to figure out the real financial value of your retirement plans
• how to account for taxes, penalties, vesting provisions and other variables that might affect your benefits
• how retirement plans are legally divided between spouses
• the pros and cons of dividing plans when you divorce, or waiting until you retire

• Worksheet: Calculating the Value of Plans

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