Dividing Employee and Employer Contributions
Most 401(k) accounts include employee contributions (what the participant put in) and employer contributions (matching or profit-sharing from the employer). These may not all be fully vested. A QDRO must clarify whether the alternate payee is entitled to:
- Only vested employer contributions—or also a portion of unvested contributions if they later vest
- Gains and losses on the divided balance from the separation date to the distribution date
- Specific dollar amounts vs. percentage splits
With the Foxhire / Patriot Software 401(k) Plan, careful attention must be paid to retirement plan statements from around the date of separation to identify both employee and employer portions accurately.

