Roth vs. Traditional Account Balances
This plan likely includes both Roth and traditional (pre-tax) contribution accounts. Though they’re managed under the same plan, how they’re taxed is very different:
- Traditional 401(k) accounts are taxed when money is withdrawn.
- Roth 401(k) accounts are funded with after-tax dollars and are generally not taxed when withdrawn.
The QDRO must clearly separate these account types if they both exist. If the QDRO fails to specify the type of account being divided, or if the administrator assumes everything is pre-tax, the alternate payee could end up with an unexpected tax bill.

