1. Employee and Employer Contributions
Employees usually contribute a portion of their paycheck into the 401(k), and the employer often matches a set percentage. In divorce, both sources of contributions may be divided—but watch out:
- Employer contributions may be subject to vesting requirements.
- If the participant is not fully vested, a portion of the employer contributions could be forfeited after divorce, leaving the alternate payee with less than expected.
Be sure the QDRO addresses how these situations should be handled, such as whether only vested balances should be split or if unvested funds are included and reassigned later.

