Employee vs. Employer Contributions
Most 401(k)s have two sources of funds: what the employee (the plan participant) contributes and what the employer contributes. In the Employee Benefit Plan of Visiting Nurse Association of the Wabash Valley, Inc.., employer contributions may be subject to a vesting schedule.
When preparing a QDRO, we consider whether:
- Only the vested portion should be divided
- Future vesting is addressed in your divorce settlement (especially for long-term marriages)
This matters because the ex-spouse (known as the alternate payee) usually won’t receive benefits from the unvested portion. If those funds are later forfeited, it could impact what the alternate payee actually gets.

