Employee and Employer Contributions
This plan likely includes both:
- Employee deferrals: Contributions directly from the participant’s paycheck—100% owned by the employee immediately.
- Employer contributions: These are often subject to a vesting schedule, which means not all of it will be available to divide in a divorce depending on length of service.
In drafting your QDRO, it’s important to note whether you’re dividing just the vested portion, or base the split on the total value accrued during the marriage. This distinction matters for fairness and accuracy.

