Employee vs. Employer Contributions
The participant likely contributed to this plan directly through payroll deferral. However, employer contributions—such as matching and profit-sharing—are also included. These employer-funded amounts may be subject to a vesting schedule, which limits what portion the participant truly “owns” at any given time.
In your QDRO, you’ll need to specify whether the alternate payee receives:
- A fixed dollar amount
- A percentage of the account as of a specific date
- Only the vested portion of employer contributions

