Dividing Employee vs. Employer Contributions
401(k) accounts usually contain two types of contributions:
- Employee Contributions: The portion the employee directly defers from their paycheck
- Employer Contributions: Any match or discretionary funds contributed by the employer
In divorce, it’s common to award a percentage or dollar amount of the marital portion—typically the contributions made from the date of marriage to the date of separation. However, not all employer contributions may be available, depending on how the vesting schedule works, which leads us to…

