Employee vs. Employer Contributions
In most 401(k) plans, the participant contributes pre-tax (or Roth) income, and the employer may contribute additional money, often in the form of matching or profit-sharing contributions. When drafting the QDRO, we need to define what portion belongs to the alternate payee clearly:
- Employee contributions are usually 100% vested and available for division
- Employer contributions may be subject to a vesting schedule—non-vested amounts usually can’t be shared
If the participant hasn’t worked for Fmm, LLC long enough, some employer contributions may be forfeitable and not eligible for division.

