Introduction
If you or your spouse is a participant in the Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan sponsored by Movers and shakers LLC, and you’re getting divorced, dividing this retirement account will require a Qualified Domestic Relations Order—or QDRO. A QDRO is a court order that provides formal instructions to the plan administrator to divide retirement assets per the divorce agreement. But with the complexity of 401(k)s, especially when employer contributions, vesting schedules, and Roth subaccounts come into play, it’s important to get the details right.
At PeacockQDROs, we’ve completed thousands of QDROs from start to finish. That means we don’t just draft the order and leave you to figure out the rest. We handle the drafting, preapproval (if required), court filing, submission, and follow-up with the plan administrator. That’s what sets us apart from firms that just hand you a document to deal with on your own.
Plan-Specific Details for the Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan
This section outlines the known details for the plan you’ll be dividing in your divorce:
- Plan Name: Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan
- Sponsor: Movers and shakers LLC
- Address: 20250704230112NAL0001881937046, 2024-01-01
- EIN: Unknown
- Plan Number: Unknown
- Industry: General Business
- Organization Type: Business Entity
- Participants: Unknown
- Plan Year: Unknown to Unknown
- Effective Date: Unknown
- Status: Active
- Assets: Unknown
Because this plan is active and sponsored by a private business entity operating in the general business sector, it is likely to follow standard 401(k) features—employee deferrals, employer matching, vesting requirements, and possibly both Roth and Traditional accounts.
What Is a QDRO and Why Do You Need One?
A QDRO is essential for dividing qualified retirement plans like the Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan. Without one, the plan cannot legally pay the non-employee spouse—known as the “alternate payee.” A divorce judgment alone is not enough. The QDRO gives the plan administrator the authority to transfer funds to the alternate payee without triggering early withdrawal penalties or taxes.
Key Considerations When Dividing the Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan
Employee and Employer Contributions
A typical 401(k) plan includes two types of contributions:
- Employee Contributions: These are the amounts the employee defers from their paycheck. They are always fully vested.
- Employer Contributions: These often come with a vesting schedule. Only the vested portion can be divided in a QDRO.
It’s important your QDRO clearly distinguishes between these contributions. If your spouse is not yet fully vested in the employer portion, the alternate payee should only receive a share of what is vested as of the division date.
Vesting Schedules and Forfeiture Rules
Many plans gradually vest employer contributions over a number of years. For example, a plan might vest 20% per year over five years. If your QDRO doesn’t specify a cut-off date for vesting, it could lead to disputes down the road—especially if the participant continues to work and becomes more vested.
A precise QDRO must lock in the division date so that any non-vested employer contributions tied to future service are excluded from the alternate payee’s award. If you fail to specify this, the plan administrator may miscalculate or reject the order.
Outstanding Loan Balances
If the participant has an outstanding loan from their 401(k), that impacts the account balance available for division. Some couples agree to deduct the loan balance from the total value before dividing. Others allocate it all to the participant. The QDRO must spell this out.
Also, plans usually do not allow alternate payees to assume the loan. So, if the loan balance is not addressed, the non-loan-taking spouse may end up receiving less than expected. Always factor in loans when calculating percentages or exact dollar awards.
Roth vs. Traditional 401(k) Accounts
The Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan may offer both pre-tax (traditional) and Roth subaccounts. These must be treated separately because their tax implications differ:
- Traditional 401(k) funds are taxed when withdrawn.
- Roth 401(k) funds are tax-free when qualified withdrawals are made.
Your QDRO should specify whether the alternate payee is receiving a portion of each subaccount—or just one type. If both are involved, the division should be proportional unless you state otherwise. This prevents confusion and avoids unintended tax consequences.
How to Draft a QDRO for the Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan
Crafting a QDRO that meets the requirements of the Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan includes addressing all of the following:
- Exact name of the plan (must be “Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan”)
- Plan sponsor’s name (“Movers and shakers LLC”)
- Clearly identified participant and alternate payee information
- Specified allocation method (percentage or dollar amount)
- Effective date for division
- Vesting cutoff language
- Treatment of outstanding loans
- Separate treatment of Roth vs. traditional accounts
Since the EIN and Plan Number are currently unknown, your attorney or QDRO preparation service will need to source this directly from the plan administrator. These elements are required to finalize a valid QDRO.
Plans sponsored by private business entities, like Movers and shakers LLC, often have administrators that require preapproval of QDROs before court submission. That extra step adds time—but it helps prevent rejections. At PeacockQDROs, we handle every stage from drafting to preapproval, filing, and final submission.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
You can avoid expensive or irreversible mistakes by steering clear of the following:
- Failing to account for loan balances in the division
- Omitting vesting date language
- Assuming Roth and traditional funds are “one account”
- Using equal dollar amounts instead of percentage shares (leading to tax issues if the balance drops before transfer)
Read more about these and other pitfalls in our breakdown of common QDRO mistakes.
How Long Will the QDRO Process Take?
Depending on the plan’s preapproval process and the local court system, QDROs can take weeks—or even months. Check out our article on 5 factors that determine how long it takes to get a QDRO done to learn more.
Get Help with Your Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan QDRO
QDROs for 401(k) plans are never “one-size-fits-all.” The Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan in particular presents unique challenges due to unknown details like its exact plan number, EIN, and asset structure. That’s why personal guidance from beginning to end is so important.
At PeacockQDROs, we maintain near-perfect reviews and pride ourselves on a track record of doing things the right way—completely and carefully. Whether you need the QDRO drafted, preapproved, filed, or submitted, we take care of the entire process. Your only job is to give us the basic information. We do the rest.
Learn more about our services on our QDRO page or contact us directly.
Final Thoughts
Dividing the Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan correctly during divorce is essential to safeguard your financial future. With multiple moving pieces—contributions, vesting, loans, and tax types—having an experienced QDRO team makes all the difference.
If your divorce was in California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, or North Dakota, and you have questions about qualified domestic relations orders or dividing retirement assets like the Movers and Shakers 401(k) Plan, contact PeacockQDROs. We specialize in QDROs and have successfully processed thousands of orders from start to finish.
Get the answers you need—explore our QDRO resources or reach out for personalized help if you’re in one of our service states.