Employee and Employer Contributions
401(k) plans typically include both employee deferrals and employer matching or discretionary contributions. In divorce, both types of contributions can be divided. However, employer contributions may have a vesting schedule. If some of the employer contributions aren’t vested at the time of divorce, they may not be included in the QDRO share.
It’s important to:
- Request a plan statement showing vested and unvested balances
- Address whether unvested funds should be included as a future allocation (if the participant becomes vested later)
- Clarify how forfeited funds should be handled if a spouse leaves the company

