Employee and Employer Contributions
When dividing a Nature’s Food Patch 401(k) Plan, it’s important to understand what portion of the account is from employee contributions and what portion is from employer contributions. Employee contributions are always 100% vested. However, employer contributions may be subject to a vesting schedule, depending on how long the employee worked at Nature’s food patch Inc.
The QDRO can only divide what’s vested as of a specific date (usually the divorce or separation date), so make sure you’re requesting the vested balance. Any unvested employer contributions at that time may be forfeited if the employee leaves the job before becoming fully vested.
To avoid disputes during the QDRO process, ask the plan administrator for a “vesting statement” showing the breakdown of vested and unvested balances on the date the benefits are being divided.

