Introduction
When couples divorce, dividing retirement assets like the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan can be complicated. You can’t simply split a 401(k) with a court order. To legally transfer a portion of a retirement plan to a former spouse, you need a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). If your or your spouse’s retirement account includes the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan, there are specific elements that must be addressed in your QDRO.
At PeacockQDROs, we’ve completed thousands of QDROs from start to finish. We don’t just draft the order and leave you hanging—we take care of everything: drafting, preapproval (if needed), court filing, submission, and follow-up with the plan administrator. That’s what sets us apart from firms that simply prepare the document and walk away.
Plan-Specific Details for the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan
Before you get too far into your divorce agreement, it’s important to understand the plan you’re working with. Here’s what we know about the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan:
- Plan Name: Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan
- Sponsor: Imperial management services group, Inc..
- Address: 20250805125952NAL0001829793001, 2024-01-01
- Employer Identification Number (EIN): Unknown (needed for QDRO)
- Plan Number: Unknown (needed for QDRO)
- Industry: General Business
- Organization Type: Corporation
- Status: Active
- Assets: Unknown
Even without full visibility at this point, this plan appears to be a standard employer-sponsored 401(k) typically used across corporations in the general business sector. That likely means it contains employee contributions, employer matches, and may include traditional and Roth-type accounts—each with different rules for division.
Why You Need a QDRO to Divide a 401(k) Plan
The Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan is covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which means federal law controls how it can be divided in divorce. A QDRO is the only way to legally assign part of a participant’s 401(k) to a former spouse (called the “alternate payee”). Without it, the plan administrator can’t divide the account, and you might face taxes or penalties trying to do it another way.
Key 401(k) Issues to Address in Your Divorce
Employee and Employer Contributions
One of the first things to consider is the breakdown of the account. Typically, the participant contributes through payroll deferrals, possibly pre-tax or Roth, while the employer (in this case, Imperial management services group, Inc..) may add matching contributions.
Here’s the trouble spot: employer contributions often come with vesting schedules. That means only part of the employer’s contributions may actually belong to the employee—and by extension, only that part is divisible in divorce. Your QDRO needs to be written carefully to specify what’s included in the alternate payee’s share.
Vesting Schedules
If any portion of the employer contributions isn’t fully vested at the time of divorce, the alternate payee may not be entitled to those unvested amounts. That’s why a QDRO for the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan must be time-sensitive—it should define whether the alternate payee gets a share of just the vested balance or how future vesting might apply if benefits are later earned.
Loan Balances and Repayment Obligations
If the plan participant has taken a loan from the 401(k), this could impact the available balance. The QDRO needs to acknowledge any outstanding loan amounts and whether those should be subtracted before calculating the alternate payee’s share.
Options include:
- Sharing the loan burden between the participant and alternate payee
- Excluding the loan balance altogether from the division
- Valuing the account as if the loan weren’t taken (less common)
Each approach can have different financial outcomes and must be clearly addressed in the QDRO language.
Roth vs. Traditional 401(k) Accounts
Many modern 401(k) plans allow both traditional (pre-tax) contributions and Roth (after-tax) contributions. Each type has different tax implications, and your QDRO should spell out how these are handled.
For instance, if your former spouse is awarded 50% of the participant’s total 401(k), it matters whether that includes:
- 50% of both Roth and traditional subaccounts proportionally
- Just the traditional account
- Just the Roth account
Explicit language ensures that the division is done properly and avoids problems when the plan administrator starts splitting the funds.
Proper QDRO Language and What to Include
A well-drafted QDRO for the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan should clearly state:
- The name of the plan: Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan
- The plan sponsor: Imperial management services group, Inc..
- Participant and alternate payee names, addresses, and dates of birth
- Whether the split is a dollar amount, percentage, or formula
- The valuation date (e.g., date of separation, divorce, or later)
- What to do about loans, if any
- How to handle gains and losses after the valuation date
- Separate treatment of Roth and traditional sources
- Vesting and forfeiture terms, if applicable
Having a QDRO that accounts for these details from the start avoids rejection from the plan administrator and the potential need for costly amendments down the line.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many people make costly mistakes during their divorce by not paying attention to how retirement accounts are split or by using generic QDRO templates. We’ve seen it all, and we’ve outlined common QDRO mistakes on our site. Don’t assume your divorce lawyer has experience with the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan specifically—or that the court has handled QDROs for this plan before.
How Long Does the QDRO Process Take?
Some clients are surprised that the QDRO process doesn’t end with the divorce decree. It involves multiple steps: drafting, court approval, submission to the plan, and administrator review. Timelines can vary significantly. You can read about the five key factors that impact timing here.
Let PeacockQDROs Handle It for You
You don’t have to figure all this out on your own. At PeacockQDROs, we know how to work with 401(k) plans like the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan. We’ve worked with thousands of families across the country and understand how to avoid delays and mistakes.
We maintain near-perfect reviews and pride ourselves on a track record of doing things the right way. When you choose us, we handle everything—from drafting to final follow-up with the plan administrator. Get started here: QDRO services overview.
Conclusion
Dividing a 401(k) like the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan in divorce is never as easy as it seems. You need a QDRO that addresses account types, tax treatment, loan balances, and employer contributions. Don’t leave these details to chance.
If your divorce was in California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, or North Dakota, and you have questions about qualified domestic relations orders or dividing retirement assets like the Imperial Management Administrators 401(k) Plan, contact PeacockQDROs. We specialize in QDROs and have successfully processed thousands of orders from start to finish.
Get the answers you need—explore our QDRO resources or reach out for personalized help if you’re in one of our service states.