Understanding Account Types: Roth vs. Traditional 401(k)
Many 401(k)s, including the Ps 401(k) Plan, may contain both traditional pre-tax contributions and Roth (after-tax) funds. It’s important to separate these in the QDRO. Mixing up these account types can result in tax errors and improper payouts. Your QDRO should clearly specify:
- How much of the traditional account vs. Roth account the alternate payee will receive
- Whether allocations apply proportionally or in a fixed dollar amount
- Whether earnings or losses until the transfer date will be included
Failing to separate these correctly is one of themost common QDRO mistakes.

