Understanding QDROs and Your Rights in Divorce
Dividing retirement assets during a divorce can be one of the most stressful and confusing parts of the process—especially when the account in question is a 401(k), like the one offered through the Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust. If you or your spouse is a participant in this specific plan, you will likely need a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) to legally divide the account.
In this article, we’ll explain how QDROs work and what steps you need to take to divide the Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust correctly. As QDRO professionals at PeacockQDROs, we’ve handled thousands of orders just like this one from beginning to end—not just the drafting. We’re known for getting the job done the right way, including court filing, preapproval (if available), and submitting it to the plan administrator until it’s finalized.
Plan-Specific Details for the Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust
- Plan Name: Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust
- Sponsor: Unknown sponsor
- Address: 20250707094423NAL0008679218001, 2024-01-01
- Industry: General Business
- Organization Type: Business Entity
- EIN: Unknown (required for QDRO submission)
- Plan Number: Unknown (required for QDRO submission)
- Participants: Unknown
- Plan Year: Unknown to Unknown
- Effective Date: Unknown
- Status: Active
- Total Assets: Unknown
Even though some critical plan details like EIN and Plan Number are missing in public records, they will be available to the employee through HR or the plan summary. These details must be included correctly in your QDRO, or the administrator may reject it.
What Is a QDRO and Why Do You Need One?
A QDRO is a court order that allows retirement plan administrators to pay benefits to someone other than the plan participant—typically a former spouse. Without a QDRO, the plan cannot legally divide or disburse any portion of the retirement account to the non-participant spouse.
For the Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust, this means the plan administrator will require a valid and properly formatted QDRO before allocating any percentage or dollar amount of the participant’s account to the alternate payee.
Special Issues to Watch For in 401(k) QDROs
Division of Employee vs. Employer Contributions
This plan likely includes both employee deferrals and employer profit-sharing contributions. Couples must decide whether they’re dividing the total account balance or just the marital portion. Be specific—especially when employer contributions are only partially vested.
Employer contributions may be subject to a vesting schedule (often over 3 to 6 years). If your spouse isn’t fully vested, a portion of their employer contributions may be forfeited if they leave the company. If you base your QDRO on current balances without adjusting for vesting, you might overestimate what you’ll actually receive.
How Vesting Impacts Your QDRO
It’s crucial to clarify in the QDRO whether the alternate payee’s share includes only vested amounts or both vested and unvested employer contributions. Most plans will only pay out the vested portion—so don’t assume the number on the statement is the final value.
Also, once the QDRO is in place, any future service by the employee may increase their vested balance, which typically does not benefit the alternate payee unless the QDRO says otherwise.
What Happens to Existing 401(k) Loans?
If the plan participant took out a loan against the 401(k), this creates complications. The loan reduces the account’s value, and it’s important to address whether loan balances will be factored into the marital division.
Some QDROs divide the “net” balance—minus the loan. Others divide the “gross” balance—before subtracting the loan. If you’re the alternate payee, you should know whether you’re effectively sharing the loan burden or not.
Also note that the alternate payee typically cannot be assigned repayment obligations for a plan loan—that stays with the participant.
Traditional vs. Roth 401(k) Contributions
The Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust may have both pre-tax (traditional) and after-tax (Roth) sub-accounts. These must be divided separately in your QDRO.
Failing to break down traditional and Roth amounts can result in tax problems for both parties. Roth 401(k) assets go into a Roth IRA (if rolled over), while traditional amounts must be handled via a pre-tax rollover to avoid early withdrawal penalties and taxation.
Tips for Dividing the Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Correctly
- Obtain a current plan statement and summary plan description (SPD) from the participant
- Request the model QDRO guidelines (if available) from the plan administrator
- Confirm which accounts are marital and which are separate
- Choose whether to divide assets by percentage or fixed dollar amount
- Be clear about whether the division includes or excludes loan balances
- Account for unvested amounts and future vesting rules
Many plan administrators require specific formatting and legal language. If the QDRO is not drafted properly, it will be rejected—sometimes after months of unnecessary delays.
Why Choose PeacockQDROs?
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 applicable), court filing, submission, and follow-up with the plan administrator. That’s what sets us apart from firms that only prepare the document and hand it off to you.
We maintain near-perfect reviews and pride ourselves on a track record of doing things the right way. See what makes our process different:
Final Thoughts
Dividing a 401(k) like the Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust requires careful attention to plan rules, vesting, loan details, and the distinction between Roth and traditional sub-accounts. A well-crafted QDRO protects both parties and ensures the division goes through without delays.
At PeacockQDROs, we’re here to simplify the process, answer your questions, and make sure nothing is missed in your order. Whether you’re just getting started or already have a draft that needs fixing, we’re ready to help.
State-Specific Call to Action
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 Aura Biosciences 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust, 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.