1. Employee and Employer Contributions
401(k) accounts often contain two types of contributions:
- Employee Elective Deferrals: These are amounts the participant chose to defer from their paycheck into the plan.
- Employer Matching or Profit-Sharing Contributions: These may be subject to a vesting schedule.
A QDRO can specify whether both types of contributions are to be divided and the percentage or dollar value going to the alternate payee. Be sure to account for vested and non-vested amounts—non-vested employer contributions are typically forfeited if the participant leaves employment too soon.

