Can my former spouse begin collecting the benefit before I have retired?

No. An Alternate Payee will begin collecting the benefit when the Participant retires and begins collecting. The QDRO cannot require ERSRI to segregate any portion of the Participant’s benefit that is awarded to the Alternate Payee into a separate account. ERSRI will not approve and qualify any order which requires the Participant to retire at a certain age or on a certain date.