Arizona Revised Statutes
Title 38 - Public Officers and Employees
§ 38-910 - Domestic relations orders; procedures; payments

38-910. Domestic relations orders; procedures; payments
A. Notwithstanding any other law, in a judicial proceeding for annulment, dissolution of marriage or legal separation that provides for the distribution of community property, or in any judicial proceeding to amend or enforce such a property distribution, a court in this state may issue a domestic relations order that provides that all or any part of a participant's benefit or refund in the plan that would otherwise be payable to that participant shall instead be paid by the plan to an alternate payee.
B. A domestic relations order is not effective against the plan unless the domestic relations order is approved by the plan and qualifies as a plan approved domestic relations order. To qualify as a plan approved domestic relations order, a domestic relations order shall comply with any policies or procedures adopted pursuant to subsection K and shall also meet all of the following requirements:
1. The domestic relations order shall state the name and the last known mailing address of the participant and the name and last known mailing address of the alternate payee that is covered by the domestic relations order.
2. The domestic relations order shall clearly state the amount or percentage of the participant's benefits that is payable by the plan to the alternate payee or the precise manner in which the amount or percentage is to be determined.
3. The domestic relations order shall state the number of payments or periods to which the domestic relations order applies, if applicable.
4. The domestic relations order shall state that the domestic relations order applies to the plan.
5. The domestic relations order shall not require the plan to provide any type or form of benefit or any option not otherwise provided by this article.
6. The domestic relations order shall not require the plan to provide increased benefits determined on the basis of actuarial value.
7. The domestic relations order shall not require the payment of benefits to an alternate payee if the benefits are required to be paid to another alternate payee under a separate plan approved domestic relations order.
8. The domestic relations order shall have been issued by a court of competent jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the United States.
C. On receipt by the plan of a certified copy of a domestic relations order and a written request for a determination that the domestic relations order is a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall promptly issue a written notice of receipt stating that the domestic relations order and request were received to the participant and alternate payee at the addresses on file, if any.
D. The plan has a determination period to issue a written determination indicating whether a domestic relations order qualifies as a plan approved domestic relations order. If the participant is receiving benefits during the determination period, and if the plan can determine the amount of the benefits that currently would be payable to the alternate payee if the domestic relations order were a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall hold the segregated funds and shall pay the remaining portion of the benefits to the participant. If the plan determines the domestic relations order is a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall pay the participant and alternate payee pursuant to the plan approved domestic relations order in the month following the month in which the determination was issued, or in the month following the month in which a benefit is payable under the plan approved domestic relations order, whichever is later. If the plan determines the domestic relations order fails to qualify as a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall specify in its determination how the domestic relations order is deficient and how it may be amended to qualify as a plan approved domestic relations order. If the participant is currently receiving benefits, and if the plan can determine the amount of segregated funds that would be payable to the alternate payee if the domestic relations order were a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall hold the segregated funds during the cure period to allow the parties to submit a certified copy of an amended domestic relations order and a written request for a determination that the amended domestic relations order is a plan approved domestic relations order. During the cure period, the plan shall pay the participant's portion to the participant. At the end of the cure period, if the issue of whether an amended domestic relations order qualifies as a plan approved domestic relations order remains undetermined or if an amended domestic relations order is determined not to be a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall pay the segregated funds and the participant's portion to the participant. The participant shall hold the segregated funds in trust for the alternate payee as provided in subsection J. If an amended domestic relations order that is submitted after the expiration of the cure period is determined to be a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall make payments to an alternate payee under the plan approved domestic relations order only prospectively. A determination by the plan that a domestic relations order is not a plan approved domestic relations order does not prohibit a participant or alternate payee from submitting an amended domestic relations order to the plan.
E. Each participant and alternate payee is responsible for maintaining a current mailing address on file with the plan. The plan has no duty to attempt to locate any participant or alternate payee. The plan has no duty to provide a notice of receipt or determination or pay benefits by means other than mailing the notice or payments to the participant or alternate payee at the last known address that is on file with the plan. If the address of an alternate payee is unknown to the plan, but benefits are payable to the alternate payee pursuant to a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall either:
1. Hold the alternate payee's portion until such a time as the alternate payee provides the plan with a current address. Once the plan is notified of the alternate payee's current address, the plan shall prospectively pay the alternate payee's portion to the alternate payee.
2. Pay the alternate payee's portion to the participant, who shall hold the alternate payee's portion in trust as provided in subsection J, until such a time as the alternate payee is located. At that time the participant shall pay the alternate payee's portion directly to the alternate payee.
F. If the address of a participant is unknown to the plan, but benefits are payable to the participant pursuant to a plan approved domestic relations order, the plan shall hold the participant's portion until the participant provides the plan with a current address.
G. If the alternate payee identified in a plan approved domestic relations order predeceases the participant and the plan approved domestic relations order does not otherwise provide for the disposition of the alternate payee's interest the plan shall pay the alternate payee's portion to the personal representative of the deceased alternate payee pursuant to this subsection. The personal representative is responsible for maintaining a current mailing address on file with the plan. The plan has no duty to attempt to locate any personal representative. The plan is not responsible for making benefit payments to a personal representative until the personal representative has both:
1. Persuaded the plan that the personal representative is authorized to receive payments designated for the deceased alternate payee.
2. Provided the plan with an address to which the payments should be sent.
H. If, within thirty days after the date the plan verifies an alternate payee's death, a personal representative does not make demand on the plan for the alternate payee's portion, the plan shall either:
1. Hold the alternate payee's portion until the time a personal representative makes a proper demand for payment of the alternate payee's portion.
2. Remit the alternate payee's portion to the participant, who shall hold the amounts in trust for the estate of the alternate payee until the personal representative is identified. At that time the participant shall pay the alternate payee's portion paid by the plan to the participant to the personal representative.
Thereafter, the plan shall prospectively pay the alternate payee's portion to the personal representative.
I. Amounts held or paid pursuant to this section shall not accrue interest unless otherwise prescribed by this article.
J. The plan is not liable to the participant, the alternate payee, any personal representative of the estate of an alternate payee or any other person for any amount paid, withheld or disbursed by the plan pursuant to this section. If one or more payments are made by the plan to a person not otherwise entitled to receive the payments, the recipient of the payment is designated a constructive trustee for the payment received and, together with the marital community, if any, is the sole party against whom an action may be brought to recover the payment.
K. The plan may adopt policies and procedures that govern the implementation of this section.

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