Employee vs Employer Contributions
A big mistake people make when splitting these accounts is assuming all money is subject to division. Usually, employee contributions are always divisible. But employer contributions may be partially vested, or not vested at all yet. If you’re the alternate payee, you must understand:
- Whether the employer match is fully vested
- The vesting schedule and its impact on what you’ll actually receive
- Whether forfeited amounts can be recovered later if employment continues

