TOVA RETIREMENT dIVISION ACADEMY

The Marin County Bar Association Family Law Section:

Avoiding Top Errors in Retirement Settlements–Tracking Market Gains and Equalization

Denisa Tova-Liebman will lead this educational session for family law professionals, focusing on how to properly divide defined contribution plans and avoid costly settlement mistakes.

Topics include:

• Equalization language that backfires
• How to handle market gains during settlement delays
• Identifying plans that don’t track gains
• Dealing with loans, missing records, and undefined property shares
• Real-world language examples to prevent QDRO bottlenecks and malpractice risk

Register Now!

75-Min. Masterclass:

IRAs in Divorce: What Settlement Language Keeps Getting Wrong

What You’ll Learn:

• Fixed sums don’t stay fixed: How to avoid shortfalls when accounts fluctuate.
• Equalizing IRAs to skip QDROs? It’s backfiring — here’s what to do instead.
• Mixed (marital/non-marital) accounts: Know which records you actually need.
• Tracing incomplete records: Practical retirement forensics that work.
• Settlement language that holds up: Real cases, real solutions.

Bonus: Materials will be shared exclusively with those who show up and do the work.

Register Now!

2025

• Gains & Losses: What Not to Say in a Settlement Agreement And What Actually Works to Avoid Blow-Up Later
• Expanded Masterclass on Gains & Losses (Replay + Settlement Language Deep Dive)
• Gains & Losses in Retirement Settlements
• How 2025 Social Security Rules Impact Your Settlements
• 2024 Recap: Top Retirement Division Errors + Cheat Sheet for Nuanced Plans
• Social Security + TIAA & IRA Rules Explained

2024

• ‘Beyond QDROs: Retirement Division in Family Law’ for Nassau County Bar Association
• ‘Beyond QDROs: Retirement Division in Family Law’ for the Florida Bar Association
• Tim Tippins’ CLE Equitable Distribution Seminar
• Weekly Master Class on “Mastering the Retirement Settlements” presented to Law Firms

2023

• Denisa’s Exclusive Live Q&A + 2023 Recap 
• Virtual QDRO Year-End Wrap-Up Webinar
• Navigating RSU’s – Key Insights For Divorce Attorneys
• Prenups: Critical Issues with Business & Retirement Assets
• Navigating Survivorship in Retirement Plans
• Settlement Language Best Practices for Defined Benefit Pension Plans
• Launched Beyond the Bar Podcast series interviewing Judges and Attorneys
• New York Association of Collaborative Professionals CLE Program on Navigating the Complexities of Equalizing the Retirement Assets
• New York Women’s Bar Association CLE Program on Retirement Settlement Language

2022

• The Retirement & QDRO Basics for The Rising Stars of the Nassau County Matrimonial Bar Association
• The Best Practices for Retirement Settlement Language, Part 1: Defined Contribution Plans
• Avoiding Retirement Settlement Mistakes webinar for the DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services
• Avoiding Retirement Settlement and QDRO Mistakes webinar for the Erie Bar Association, Buffalo NY
• Division of US Pensions in UK Divorce webinar: presented to The 36 Group, London, UK
• Avoiding Retirement Settlement and QDRO Mistakes webinar for the Mediators in Santa Barbara, CA
• New York State Bar Association (Part Two) – CLE Program
  How to Write Effective Retirement Settlement Language Webinar for Divorce Attorneys
• Retirement Basics Bootcamp webinar
• How to Fairly Value and Divide US Pensions in Cross-Border Divorces webinar
• US Pensions in International Divorces webinar

2021

• Division of US Pensions in UK Divorce webinar: presented to Watson Thomas Solicitors
• Mark Crawford Esq.
• Judicial Institute with Judge Cheryl Joseph webinar
• The New York Fire Pension webinar
• Kasowitz Bension Torres Law Firm
• Kenneth Weinstein Law Firm
• New York Association of Collaborative Professionals (NYACP) (Part Two)
• Rudyuk Law Firm, PC
• New York State Bar Association (Part One) – CLE Program
• Dividing of US Retirement Assets for UK Family Law Attorneys and UK Actuaries (Part Two)
• Stutman Stutman & Lichtenstein, LLP
• QDRO & Retirement Asset Distribution (Part Two) Presentation to the Suffolk Judges and Principal Law Clerks
• Queens County Matrimonial Bar
• QDRO & Retirement Asset Distribution (Part One) Presentation to the Suffolk Judges and Principal Law Clerks
• QDRO Presentation to the Women’s Nassau Bar Association
• Dealing with US Pensions in UK Divorces: presented to the UK Law Firm – Farrer & Co.
• New Police Pension Rules & Top Settlement Mistakes webinar for divorce attorneys

2000

• Dividing of US Retirement Assets Webinar for UK Family Law Attorneys and UK Actuaries
• Several “Advanced Level Webinars on “QDROs and Drafting of Settlements Correctly”, presented to: The Suffolk Bar Association, The New York Women’s Bar Association, The New York
• Collaborative Association, Long Island Divorce Mediation Peer Group, The Queens Bar Association, and the Connecticut American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML).
• Launched a monthly webinar series on QDROs, Valuation of Retirement Assets and Settlement Language Drafting

2019

• Several lectures on QDRO Tips on Avoiding Malpractice; Drafting the Correct Settlement Language presented to: The Nassau Bar Association, The Suffolk Academy of Law, the New York Women’s Bar Association.

2018

• Retirement Planning, Investment Planning and Rate of Returns for Nassau County Women’s Bar Association

2017

• Women Council of Realtors “How to Blend and Manage Financial Lives, Assets and Interests”
• Webinar “Divorce on Wall Street”
• Webinar “Divorcing Late in Life”

2016

• Jackson National – “Standing Financially Strong”

2013

• Jackson National – “Golden Rules of Money”. Preparing for Retirement; Rate of Returns Projections and Investment Planning.
• ING Women’s Advisory Network Forum – Divorce Financial and Tax Issues”
• Mceed Century Link’s Annual National Top Executives Business Event

2012

• Colorado Springs Estate Planning Council – “Tax Planning Tools in Divorce”

2011

• Colorado Family Law Section – “Review of the Basics & The Exotics”
• Kiwanis Club – “Understanding Your Retirement Number”

2008

• Colorado Springs Family Law Section – “Taxes and Divorce”; the power of the 72(t)(2)(c) section”

2006

• Colorado Springs Family Law Conference – “The Role of a Financial Divorce Practitioner and Financial Planning Opportunities in the Division of Retirement Plans”