1. Employee and Employer Contributions
The account may include both your ex-spouse’s direct contributions (100% vested) and employer contributions that are subject to vesting. It’s essential to request the contribution breakdown before drafting the QDRO. Many employers provide a statement showing fully vested versus partially vested employer contributions.
In most cases, only vested balances can be assigned to an alternate payee. If unvested funds are included in the QDRO, and the employee spouse later terminates employment before they fully vest, the alternate payee’s expected benefit might shrink or disappear entirely.

