Maximizing Your The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan Benefits Through Proper QDRO Planning

Divorce brings not only emotional stress but also financial complexity—especially when retirement accounts are involved. If you or your spouse participate in The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan, you’ll likely need a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) to divide retirement benefits properly. At PeacockQDROs, we’ve handled many QDROs from start to finish, providing peace of mind and full-service support through the entire process.

A Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is a legal document that allows a retirement plan to pay a portion of a participant’s benefits to an alternate payee—typically a former spouse. For 401(k) plans like The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan, a QDRO is required to divide assets legally and avoid unintended taxes and penalties.

Before drafting your QDRO, it’s crucial to understand the specific plan involved. Here’s what we know about The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan:

• Plan Name: The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan
• Sponsor: Unknown sponsor
• Address: 20250813141853NAL0009132897001, 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31, 2001-01-01, 19100 EAST SHELBY ROAD PO BOX 328
• EIN: Unknown
• Plan Number: Unknown
• Industry: General Business
• Organization Type: Business Entity
• Participants: Unknown
• Status: Active
• Effective Date: Unknown
• Assets: Unknown

As a general business retirement plan offered by a business entity—with limited public data—it’s important to work with professionals who can efficiently deal with less-transparent sponsors.

The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan likely includes both employee and employer-funded contributions. A QDRO can divide either or both types of contributions, depending on the divorce agreement.

Employee Contributions

These are typically 100% vested and simple to divide. The QDRO can state a fixed dollar amount or a percentage to be paid to the alternate payee.

Employer Contributions and Vesting

This is where things can get tricky. Many 401(k) plans use a vesting schedule—meaning the participant earns rights to employer contributions over time. In divorce, unvested amounts are typically excluded, but understanding the exact vesting schedule is key. If the plan participant isn’t fully vested, the alternate payee’s portion may be reduced.

Plan administrators may also claw back unvested employer contributions if the participant separates from the company before fully vesting. Your QDRO must spell this out clearly to avoid future disputes.

If the participant has taken a loan from The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan, the QDRO must address how that loan affects the division of assets.

Include or Exclude Loan Balances

You need to decide whether to treat the loan balance as part of the participant’s share or whether to offset the loan against the total account balance. Many alternate payees are surprised to find their expected amount reduced due to an outstanding loan. Don’t let that happen—include the loan terms in the QDRO.

Loan Repayment Obligations

It’s also critical to clarify who—if anyone—will be responsible for repaying the loan. Most often, it’s the participant, but failure to address this can lead to confusion and prolonged delays.

The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan may include pre-tax (traditional) and post-tax (Roth) contributions. These account types have vastly different tax treatments, so the QDRO must allocate them accordingly.

• Traditional 401(k): Taxes are deferred until withdrawal
• Roth 401(k): Contributions are made after tax; qualified withdrawals are tax-free

If your QDRO doesn’t specify how to divide each account type, the plan administrator may divide both accounts proportionally—which may not match your intended settlement. Be explicit about which dollars come from which account type.

401(k) plans like The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan come with their own set of complications. We’ve seen many avoidable errors that seriously delay benefits. Here are a few examples:

• Failing to address loans and resulting in miscalculated shares
• Omitting how to handle unvested employer contributions
• Not specifying traditional vs. Roth distribution details
• Leaving the details of survivorship rights or investment gains/losses vague

Learn more about these pitfalls at our guide tocommon QDRO mistakes.

Though The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan does not publicly list its EIN or plan number, your attorney or your spouse’s HR department should be able to obtain that information. These identifiers are required to draft and submit a valid QDRO. Don’t proceed without them.

At PeacockQDROs, we’ve completed many QDROs from start to finish. That means we don’t just draft the order and leave you to figure out the rest. We handle the drafting, preapproval (if applicable), court filing, submission, and follow-up with the plan administrator. That’s what sets us apart from firms that only prepare the document and hand it off to you.

We maintain near-perfect reviews and pride ourselves on a track record of doing things the right way. Whether it’s handling a complex 401(k), dealing with vague plan documents, or calculating shares down to the penny, we’re in your corner every step of the way.

Ready to get started? Visit our fullQDRO service page orcontact us directly for help.

Dividing a 401(k) plan in divorce is rarely as simple as splitting a bank account, and The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan has unique features to consider. With vesting schedules, potential loans, and Roth/traditional account distinctions, drafting a legally sound and financially fair QDRO requires experience and precision.

If your divorce was in California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, or North Dakota, and you have questions about qualified domestic relations orders or dividing retirement assets like the The Way International 401(k) Savings Plan, contact PeacockQDROs. We focus on QDROs and have successfully processed many orders from start to finish.

Get the answers you need—explore ourQDRO resources orreach out for personalized help if you’re in one of our service states.