Common Division Methods
- Shared Interest Approach: The alternate payee receives a portion of each monthly retirement check once payments begin.
- Separate Interest Approach: The alternate payee receives their own independent monthly benefit at their retirement eligibility age.
Most defined benefit plans, including the Hawkins Construction Company Employee Pension Benefit Plan, prefer the separate interest method if the participant has not yet retired. This gives former spouses clear and defined benefits without ongoing legal entanglement.

