Woman gets 401k money 5 years later thanks to 7 On Your Side

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A woman turned to 7 On Your Side when she says the 401k portion she was promised during her divorce hadn't come through five years after she and her ex-husband split.

After her 23-year marriage ended, Wendy Lepper is reinventing herself and going back to school while raising her youngest son.

The single mom is worried about their future five years after getting divorced, she still chasing her portion of a 401k plan.

"I wanted it safely invested and I had no idea where it was, if there was any money in it and no one was giving me any answers," Lepper said.

She was informed in February from her ex-husband's 401k administrator; more than 39 thousand was coming her way.

"I was entitled to half of what was in that retirement account plus interest from the day they divide it," Lepper said.

Lepper filed in 2011.

"We had to wait for the divorce to go through and then they draw up this legal QDRO than you're supposed to get it," Lepper said.

But that never happened. Lepper blames the pension administrator, which pointed the finger at the company that holds plan's assets.

"It was their fault they misplaced the paperwork, then the check was being cut then it wasn't being cut," Lepper said.

One letter from the beginning of June stated her check was being overnighted, and then all she heard was crickets.

"No one getting back to me, no one responding to my emails," Lepper said. "Basically reached deadends."

So 7 On Your Side started navigating the various channels responsible for getting Wendy her money, this time the check really was in the mail.

"So happy that it's over!" Lepper said.

Five days after 7 On Your Side got involved, the funds finally deposited into Lepper's own 401k plan.

"7 On Your Side was amazing, and I want to thank you so much," Lepper said.

The 401k administrators said part of the delay was because the gains in the investment were miscalculated and they had to go back five years to figure out exactly how to split the assets down the middle.

To Lepper's credit she kept great records, saved all her emails which really helped her case.