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GARS QILDRO Information
QILDRO Handbook & Forms
The following information and forms are designed to assist members, alternate payees, and legal representatives when retirement benefits are being considered for possible division in divorce proceedings. Much of the information provided is based on the express statutory language and requirements imposed upon Illinois public retirement systems by the QILDRO statute. This legislation amended the Illinois Pension Code Section 1-119 [40 ILCS 5/1-119]. This subject matter may be of considerable financial significance. It is strongly recommended that individuals obtain competent legal and /or other expert assistance. This information is provided with the understanding that GARS is not rendering legal, financial or other professional advice. GARS does not assume responsibility for the specific consequences resulting from application of this information.
The GARS QILDRO handbook explains QILDRO in detail and is available at the link below. The alternate payee’s share of the benefit or refund may be expressed in dollar amounts or in percentages. If the QILDRO uses percentages, a second court order-the Calculation Order-will be necessary to tell GARS how much to pay the alternate payee. The Calculation Order may be submitted once the amount of the retirement benefit or refund is known. This two-step process may be useful when divorce occurs before the member retires.
The QILDRO allows lump-sum death benefits to be allocated to the alternate payee. Monthly survivor benefits cannot be allocated through a QILDRO.
GARS has policies and procedures in place to protect your Social Security number (SSN). The QILDRO law mandates inclusion of SSNs in QILDRO and Calculation Orders for tax reporting associated with payment of benefits and refunds. If SSNs are omitted from the court order, you must provide complete SSNs in an accompanying Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing form accessible on this page. Complete SSNs are always required in the Consent to Issuance of QILDRO.
Below are links for the QILDRO Handbook, QILDRO Consent form, QILDRO Order, QILDRO Calculation Order and the QILDRO Brochure. The forms may be completed on-line, printed for signatures and submitted to GARS for processing. When you click in the first fill-in field on a form and complete that field, you should then hit the tab key to advance to the next field on the form.
These are the only forms that will be accepted by GARS.