1. Allocating Employee and Employer Contributions
Most QDROs award a portion of the account balance as of a specific date, often the date of separation or divorce. In this case, you’ll want to be clear whether the alternate payee is receiving:
- A flat dollar amount (e.g., $50,000)
- A percentage of the total balance as of a specific date
- Only the marital portion of the account (typically matching the time period of the marriage)
It’s also critical to address whether employer contributions are included and whether they are fully or partially vested at the time of division.

