What is the time limit to withdraw retirement funds awarded in a divorce?

This is the frustrating part of practicing law as well for us a practitioners, either  where other lawyers or litigants fail to do what they are required to do, creating extra aggravation for our clients and making extra work for us. While I am not sure I can specifically answer your question in  terms of federal law or employment law that puts some arbitrary cutoff point on how long your retirement benefits may be tied up, you do have a few remedies; 1. file a contempt motion with the divorce court to compel your ex to complete the pension/ 401k process. He can hire a new attorney if he needs to do this. It is in his best interest to do so, because every day that goes by where the QDRO is not completed to divide up the plan, puts his 45% interest in peril.  2. Hire your own lawyer to complete the QDRO to send to your employer. This may be significantly  cheaper and quicker than messing with a contempt motion that may takes months for you to get a court date, or do both at the same time.