1. Employer vs. Employee Contributions
All employee contributions are automatically considered marital property for the period of the marriage, but employer contributions are often subject to a vesting schedule. If the benefit is not fully vested at the time of divorce, the unvested portion may be excluded from division, depending on the case law in your state and your agreement terms.
Be sure your QDRO clearly identifies whether the alternate payee is entitled to:
- Only the vested portion as of the date of divorce
- Future vesting rights if the participant remains employed

