Alan S Biernbaum Attorney

Biernbaum & Meyer is a law firm with a rich history and a strong commitment to providing personalized service and care to its clients. With over nine decades of combined legal experience, our team of experts is dedicated to serving the Greater Rochester Metropolitan Area with the best in individualized legal services. We pride ourselves on our small firm practice, which allows us to build long-term relationships with our clients and cater to their individual needs and goals. Our firm was founded over 46 years ago, and Alan S. Biernbaum and Paul E. Meyer have been working together for 37 of those years.

At Biernbaum & Meyer, we understand that every case is unique and important. Regardless of the size or scope of the case, we are committed to providing personalized service and attention to our clients. Our team of experienced attorneys is equipped to handle a wide range of legal matters, including QDRO's and pensions, divorce mediation, collaborative law, matrimonial and family law, estate planning, wills and trusts, business and corporate law, and more.

Our office is located in the Times Square Building at 45 Exchange Blvd., Suite 1000, Rochester, NY 14614. We invite you to contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your legal needs.

Qualified Domestic Relations Orders ("QDRO's") and Pensions

At Biernbaum & Meyer, we have extensive experience in handling Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDRO's) and pension-related matters. Pensions are often one of the most valuable assets in a divorce, and it is crucial that they are divided fairly and accurately. We understand the complexity of pension division and have the expertise to handle even the most complicated cases.

In a divorce, pensions can be divided using a QDRO. This is a court order that recognizes the former spouse's right to receive a portion of the pension benefits. QDRO's are used to divide both defined benefit plans (traditional pension plans) and defined contribution plans (such as 401(k) plans). Our team has the knowledge and experience to handle both types of pension division.

Defined benefit plans provide a retired employee with a monthly benefit upon retirement. These plans are becoming less common in the private market but are still prevalent in government employment. Some examples of defined benefit plans include the New York State Teachers' Retirement System for teachers and the New York State and Local Retirement System for state employees.

Defined contribution plans, on the other hand, operate as pre-tax savings accounts where an employee can divert savings each pay period into an employer plan. The most common defined contribution plan is the 401(k) plan, which operates as a pre-tax savings account. Other types of defined contribution plans include 403(b) plans (also known as tax-sheltered annuity (TSA) plans) and 457 plans (which serve as deferred-compensation retirement plans for government employees and certain non-government employees).

The division of pension assets as part of a divorce should take place at the time of the divorce or shortly thereafter. When a significant period of time elapses between the time of the divorce and the division of the pension assets, there is a greater likelihood that problems will develop. It is important to work with an experienced attorney who can help ensure that the pension assets are divided fairly and accurately.

At Biernbaum & Meyer, we are committed to helping our clients navigate the complicated process of pension division. We have the knowledge and expertise to handle both defined benefit and defined contribution plans, and we are dedicated to providing personalized service and attention to our clients.