My divorce decree stated that I was to pay my x wife an amount of my pension at the time I began collecting the pension. No QUATRO was ever brought into the situation. Its been 14 years since I retired and have been paying her since day one with no QUATRO. Question is: Should I be paying at all without the QUATRO?

First, it is QDRO (FAQs About Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_qdro.html))

Your divorce decree ordered the payments. While the court should have issued a QDRO it is possible the law was different when you divorced. But if you stop paying your ex can take you back to court and get a QDRO issued so your pension admins will be required to pay.

Thanks so much Scott. Should have told you that shortly after the divorce her lawyer did write a QUATRO but my X never follwed up on it and my pension informed me that with NO QUATRO all my pension would be sent to me. Thanks, Dave M

Yes, without a QDRO the pension admins are not required to send your pension to anyone else. But, again, if your ex takes the divorce agreement to court you will be required to pay what the divorce says you have to. Maybe she gets a QDRO now or the court just orders you to pay. But they will order you to pay.

Yes, without a QDRO the pension admins are not required to send your pension to anyone else. But, again, if your ex takes the divorce agreement to court you will be required to pay what the divorce says you have to. Maybe she gets a QDRO now or the court just orders you to pay. But they will order you to pay.

Thank you for your info. My case is a little more complicated than I explained in my original question. Please allow me to explain:

My divorce decree awarded my wife half of what my pension was worth at the time of the divorce. (1990 @ $203.00. I paid without a QDRO whenever I could find her. Some five years ago she suffered a stroke (heavy drinking) and ended up in a assisted living building funded by medicare and medicade. When she filled out the papers she listed the $203.00 as income and I have been paying it to the home she is staying at. She gets none of it. Medicare and medicade allows her $89.00 a month for expenses, my payment goes to the home. Because my x-wife gets none of it she told me not to pay anymore because she doesn't get it anyway. Is there a document she can fill out and sign to legally stop my payments to her and the home? As of right now, I buy her cigarettes, pay for her phone and give her pocket money all while paying the $203.00. Thanks so much if you can answer my question.