Dividing Employee and Employer Contributions
A critical piece of your QDRO is determining what portion of the 401(k) balance should be awarded to the non-participant spouse (called the “Alternate Payee”). This can include:
- All employee contributions made during the marriage
- All vested employer contributions made during the marriage
Since vesting schedules come into play, it’s important to note whether employer matches or profit-sharing contributions were fully vested at the time of divorce. If not, the QDRO may only apply to the vested portion.

