Vesting Schedules and Employer Contributions
One of the biggest surprises people encounter is that not all employer contributions are fully theirs during a divorce. Many plans—especially corporate 401(k)s like this one—have vesting schedules. That means unless the employee has worked at the company long enough, some of the employer contributions may not be considered marital property.
A properly prepared QDRO for the Advertising, Premiums & Incentives 401(k) Retirement Plan should address:
- What portion of the account balance is fully vested
- Whether the alternate payee is entitled to any future vesting
- How to handle any forfeiture provisions if the employee leaves the company

