Employee vs. Employer Contributions
401(k) plans often include both employee contributions (deferrals from paychecks) and employer contributions (typically matches or discretionary amounts). In a divorce, only the vested portion of these amounts can be assigned via QDRO. This is where many mistakes happen—we often see orders that attempt to divide non-vested employer amounts, or fail to specify how contributions should be handled. For the Mickey Truck Bodies, Inc.. 401(k) Plan, the QDRO should clearly identify whether it’s dividing employee contributions only or both employee and vested employer contributions.

