How do I instruct a PODE properly?
If you’re instructing a Pension on Divorce Expert (PODE), the quality of the report you receive will depend heavily on the quality of the brief you provide. A clear, complete, and joint instruction saves time, avoids misunderstandings, and ensures the court gets the evidence it needs.
Here’s how to get it right.
1. Make It a Joint Instruction
A PODE will usually be instructed as a Single Joint Expert - appointed by both parties, not just by one side. This is crucial for impartiality and means the report can be relied upon in court.
If solicitors are involved, they’ll normally agree the wording of a Letter of Instruction
If you’re acting without solicitors, don’t worry: we provide a simple template that replaces the need for formal legal drafting. It sets out everything the court requires and makes sure the PODE has what they need.
This way, even if you don’t have a legal team (or simply prefer not to involve them in this step), you can still move the process forward quickly and confidently.
Here it is if you want to check it out:
2. Gather the Right Pension Information
The most common reason for delays? Missing or incomplete pension data. If you can, please collect:
A list of all of your pensions, their providers and plan numbers
Statements or CEVs (Cash Equivalent Values) for each pension
Service and salary history if it’s a public sector or final salary scheme
State Pension forecasts (which you can get free online from gov.uk)
Any information about guarantees, AVCs, or special features
💡 Tip: Each pension provider usually needs a signed Letter of Authority so they can release information direct to the PODE. We will provide this to you soon after you complete our Get Started form.
3. Be Clear About the Scope of Work
Not every case needs the same calculations. The Letter of Instruction (or our template, if you’re using that) should spell out what the PODE is being asked to do. For example.
Equalisation of pension income in retirement?
Equalisation of capital value?
Offsetting against the house or other assets?
Being specific avoids wasted time and ensures the PODE gives you the right options.
4. Avoid Common Pitfalls
Don’t cherry-pick pensions. All pensions should be disclosed, even if you think they’re “too small to matter.”
Don’t assume CEVs tell the full story. Defined benefit pensions in particular may need expert interpretation and more information
Don’t delay. It can take months to obtain data from schemes - start gathering as early as possible or hand over to our team at The PODE to gather for you, asap
5. Keep Communication Simple and Professional
Provide one consolidated brief (rather than multiple piecemeal requests).
Make sure both parties agree the wording before it goes to the PODE.
Ask the PODE if you’re unsure, it’s far better to clarify than to guess.
The Bottom Line
A well-briefed PODE can save everyone time, money, and stress. The essentials are:
Joint instruction
Accurate and up to date pension information,
A clear, agreed scope of work
And if you don’t have a solicitor (or don’t want them involved in this step), our ready-made template makes briefing us as simple as filling in a form. Get those basics right, and your PODE will deliver a report that’s accurate, court-ready, and most importantly, fair.