Employee and Employer Contributions
Employee deferrals and matching employer contributions are often treated differently. While employee contributions are usually 100% vested right away, employer contributions often follow a vesting schedule. That means only a portion of the employer match may be eligible for division—depending on how long your spouse worked with the sponsoring employer.
If your spouse hasn’t met full vesting length-of-service requirements, some employer contributions might be forfeited upon separation. It’s important not to include non-vested portions in your QDRO. Failure to separate vested from unvested funds can lead to rejection of your order or delays in processing.

