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Government Guidance on Qualified Domestic Relations Orders: U.S. DOL Issues Interim Regulations, PBGC Updates its Handbook
By Paul M. Hamburger of the Washington Office, and Megan Mardy of the Chicago office, of McDermott Will & Emery LLP

The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued interim final regulations that clarify the status of domestic relations orders affecting qualified retirement plan benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (the Code). The regulations were issued pursuant to a directive contained in the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA).

Separately, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has updated its comprehensive booklet on how it administers qualified domestic relations orders in the context of terminated plans for which the PBGC pays benefits.

Together, these materials provide helpful information to plan administrators, service providers, participants and alternate payees who need to address compliance-related matters for these orders.

DOL Regulations
The DOL regulations, which are effective April 6, 2007, provide helpful guidance in the form of specific examples that demonstrate how to determine whether a domestic relations order (DRO) can become a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) under special circumstances anticipated by the PPA. The DOL has invited comments (to be submitted no later than May 7, 2007) as to whether, and to what extent, there are additional factual scenarios that should be added to the examples already in the interim final rule.

Click here to read more.

Beginning two-year terms on July 1, 2008
please join the National Board in welcoming:

John Wirtshafter will provide leadership to the board in the role of President. John brings to the position a wealth of WEB experience. Since 1998, John has been a part of the Cleveland chapter steering committee in various positions including chapter President. John is an employee benefits attorney with 24 years of experience. John is a Shareholder with McDonald Hopkins LLC, a law firm with approximately 135 attorneys and offices in several cities; John is the Practice Leader for the Executive Compensation and Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Practice Group. In previous positions, John specialized in employee benefits with Price Waterhouse, LLC and Benesch Friedlander, Coplan and Aronoff.

Corine Corpora joins the board in the position of Secretary. Corine has been a WEB member for ten years and is a part of the Cleveland chapter steering committee for the past seven years. As part of the Cleveland steering committee, Corine has served in the positions of Public Relations Chair, Program Chair, and Secretary. Corine is an employee benefits attorney who currently practices at Roetzel & Andress LPA. Corine's previous professional experience includes Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP and Ernst & Young.

Brian Miller, CCP, joins the board in the position of Communications Chair. Brian has been a WEB member for six years. He has served as Publicity Chair on the Dallas chapter steering committee and currently serves as VP. Brian brings a wealth of creative ideas to the national board in the area of communications. Currently, Brian is the Compensation and Benefits manager for Nokia Inc.'s North America operations. Past experiences with Nokia include Senior HR Account consultant and HR Operations Manager with Nokia Mobile Phones. Brian holds a BS and MS.

Kathy O'Day, SPHR, joins the board in the position of Regional VP - Eastern Region. Kathy has been a WEB member from 1992-1998 and again since 2004. Since 2006, Kathy has been on the Dallas steering committee as Education Chair. In this position, Kathy developed the chapter's continuing education (CE) program. Currently, Kathy is a Senior Human Resources Consultant with The Hopkins Group, a Dallas-based consulting firm. Past professional experience has included U.S. and International assignments with GTE and Verizon in compensation, benefits and organizational development roles. Kathy holds a BS, MA and EdD.

The national board is pleased to announce that Jeff Hawes has been reelected to the position of Chapter Services Chair for another two-year term. Jeff has lead the effort in developing new member exclusive benefits for WEB and has been a valued team member in WEB's successes. Jeff is a member of the Chicago chapter steering committee and has been a WEB member since 2004. Currently, Jeff is a Pharmacy Benefit Consultant with Pharmaceutical Strategies Group. As a Pharmacist, Jeff's previous experience includes management positions with Medimpact Heathcare Systems, Partners Health Plan and St. Joseph's Medical Center. Jeff holds a BA, BS and PharmD.

We would like to thank the following board members whose terms ended on June 30, 2008: Diane Morgenthaler, President, Lowell M. Smith, Immediate Past President, Sheila Luken, Secretary, and Angela Fevola, Regional VP-Eastern Region. We greatly appreciate the time and contributions they made to WEB.

For a complete listing of all board members, please access this link: http://www.webnetwork.org/board_directors.cfm