Employee and Employer Contributions
401(k) plans often include two sources of funding: employee deferrals and employer matches or profit-sharing contributions. QDROs should specify whether the alternate payee is entitled to a portion of just the employee contributions or all contributions made to the account during the marriage.
A common mistake is assuming the full account value is divisible. But if employer contributions are tied to a vesting schedule, the non-participant spouse may not receive everything unless those contributions have vested as of the division or separation date.

