A.If your domain will not transfer because it has expired, or if your registry has it locked until you renew it, you do have a couple of options. One is to pay the registrar their fee to renew it for a year, and then continue the transfer. The other is to allow the name to be released, and then try to re-register it. We don't recommend the second option under any circumstances.
It's entirely possible that someone else will get your domain before you have a chance to reserve it. Additionally, it is the policy of some registrars (most notably Network Solutions) not to release the domain no matter how long it has been expired. If you want the domain at all, you'll have to pay them at some point, sooner or later.
Therefore, we recommend that you do renew the name with your prior registrar for one additional year. Then, you can continue the transfer process to our system. You lose nothing by doing both. You'll get a one year renewal from your prior registrar, and then we will add one MORE year on to the end of your term.
If you have already paid for a domain transfer, and it has been denied by your registrar, you can keep the transfer active, and, as previously mentioned, continue the transfer after you have cleared your hold status at your prior registrar. Should you choose to cancel the transfer, however, we'll be happy to refund your money. All we need is the domain you're trying to transfer.