1. Employee and Employer Contributions
The Lyons Companies 401(k) Plan will typically include two kinds of contributions: employee (elective deferrals) and employer contributions (such as matching or profit-sharing). A well-drafted QDRO should clearly state what portion of each contribution type the alternate payee is entitled to.
- Spell out whether the award includes only the participant’s contributions or also the employer matching amounts.
- Specify the cut-off date for division—common options include date of separation, date of divorce, or a fixed valuation date.
At PeacockQDROs, we often advise clients to secure statements from as close as possible to the division date, which simplifies asset tracing and increases clarity.

