Retirement division specialists for divorce attorneys.
For divorce attorneys, TOVA handles the retirement piece of a case: QDROs, forensic tracing of 401(k)s and IRAs, pension present value estimates, records discovery, and settlement language review.
Denisa Tova-Liebman
Denisa founded TOVA so attorneys could send the entire retirement piece to one firm. Her own work is the high-end part: forensic tracing of long-history accounts, pension present value estimates, and US and cross-border consulting.
She is a qualified expert in the New York Supreme Court (1st and 9th Judicial Districts) and the Colorado District Court (4th Judicial District), has testified on retirement division issues, and has been court-appointed in select cases. She has published in the ACFLS Journal and the NYSBA Family Law Review, presents to bar associations and the judiciary, and acquired the Colorado QDRO practice of Thomas Toxby in 2025.
She hosts the Beyond Your Bar Podcast and writes the weekly E-Tips for divorce attorneys. For the full range of work, see the services page.
Featured at
Independent references
M.J. v F.M., Supreme Court, Westchester County (decision after trial, March 31, 2025, 2025 NY Slip Op 50550). From the decision: “Counsel agreed to use Tova QDRO & Retirement Valuators to perform the necessary calculations and prepare any necessary documentation.” Official Reporter · Justia.
New York State Bar Association Family Law Review (with Mark Plaine, Esq.): “Poorly Drafted Language in Settlement Agreements Could Put You on the Edge of Malpractice.” Published at nysba.org.
Women's Bar Association of the State of New York: CLE presenter on settlement agreements and QDRO drafting. Event listing at wbasny.org.
The people behind TOVA, led by Denisa
TOVA handles the retirement piece of divorce cases, so your office deals with one firm from the first email to the finished order.
Case management
Every new case starts here: onboarding, intake, and coordination and communication with your office from the first email until the work is done.
Executive Case Manager, your first contact
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Worked at large law firms in the New York metropolitan area handling pleadings, discovery, expert witnesses, subpoenas, attorney calendars, and court filings. Previously served as legal assistant to the VP and General Counsel of a major Northeast trucking and freight company, managing all legal cases.
Retirement orders
TOVA prepares QDROs and other retirement court orders, and works with the plan on pre-approval where the plan offers it. Federal and military retirement orders are a specialty of their own, and that is where our resident specialist comes in.
Resident Specialist, Federal and Military Orders
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Thomas Toxby leads TOVA's federal orders program on demand. His career has produced 2,000+ Court Orders Acceptable for Processing (COAPs), the federal-employee equivalent of a QDRO. He trains attorneys and judges on FERS and CSRS division nationwide and has been qualified as an expert in multiple courts. Tom helped establish Georgia case law confirming that a former spouse's estate can receive a CSRS/FERS share. At TOVA, he drafts federal retirement court orders to OPM's rules and procedures, and he also drafts Military Retired Pay Division Orders for members who are already retired.
Present value estimates and tracing
TOVA prepares pension present value estimates for settlement talks, and handles forensic tracing of long-history accounts, records discovery, and cross-border cases.
Training and partnerships
Attorney trainings, bar programs and the Beyond Your Bar Podcast.
Business Development and Media Director
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Extensive experience in strategic growth and brand work. Transforms podcast recordings into high-quality video content and oversees distribution across platforms. Creates social media content and video for various channels, with business development focused on driving growth and engagement.
What They Say
"I read the QDRO, it's extremely detailed, it's very thorough."Judge, Connecticut Superior Court, Judicial District of Stamford-Norwalk
"TOVA handled the entire retirement piece. I didn't have to coordinate between three different professionals."Divorce Attorney, New York
"The tracing report was the strongest piece of evidence we presented."Family Law Partner, Colorado
New York and Denver. Roots in Prague.
TOVA serves attorneys and their clients nationwide, and handles cross-border cases involving U.S. retirement assets in foreign divorces. Virtual offices on the East Coast and in the Mountain West, and a founder who built the firm from the ground up after starting out a world away.
Start a Case
We work with attorneys nationwide. Send the most recent retirement statement, the settlement language, or just a description of what is missing. Sharon Edelman is the first point of contact on every new case and will route it and point your office in the right direction.
New cases, nationwide
Start with the intake form, or reach Sharon directly. One gatekeeper for New York, Colorado, and every other state.
Choose how to start Email sedelman@tovaretirement.com · Call (516) 200-1074Already working with us? Email sedelman@tovaretirement.com and Sharon will route you, or see the contact page for full details.
Explore more: services and pricing, how TOVA works, the FAQ, attorney training, and TOVA's practice acquisitions.
TOVA QDRO and Retirement Valuators is not a law firm and does not provide legal, tax, or investment advice. Nothing on this page is legal advice. All legal strategy and filing decisions remain with the attorney of record.