1. Employee and Employer Contributions
The total account value usually includes both employee contributions and employer matching. But employer contributions can be subject to vesting schedules. If the participant isn’t fully vested, a portion of the employer contributions may not be divisible—or may be forfeited altogether.
Check the plan’s vesting schedule. If the QDRO is filed before full vesting, the alternate payee may receive less than expected. A carefully drafted QDRO can either assign a percentage of the vested account or include language addressing how forfeitures will affect the division.

