Understanding the Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan in Divorce
If you or your spouse is a participant in the Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan, this retirement account can be one of the most significant assets to divide during divorce. To properly distribute these funds, you’ll need a Qualified Domestic Relations Order—better known as a QDRO.
QDROs are court orders approved by retirement plan administrators to divide assets like 401(k) accounts without triggering early withdrawal penalties or taxes. 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 everything, from drafting through follow-up. That’s what sets us apart from firms that only prepare documents and hand them off to you.
Plan-Specific Details for the Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan
Before getting into QDRO logistics, let’s take a closer look at the plan you’re dealing with. Here’s what we know:
- Plan Name: Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan
- Sponsor: Wyndham hotels & resorts, Inc..
- Address: 22 Sylvan Way
- Plan Effective Period: January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024
- Plan Start Date: June 1, 2018
- Plan Type: 401(k)
- Industry: General Business
- Organization Type: Corporation
- Status: Active
- Employer Identification Number (EIN): Unknown (Required for QDRO submission)
- Plan Number: Unknown (Also required for QDRO submission)
- Participants: Unknown
- Plan Year: Unknown
Although key details like EIN and Plan Number are currently not available, you’ll need those to complete the QDRO process. If they’re not listed on a statement or summary plan description (SPD), your attorney or plan administrator can usually help provide them.
How QDROs Work for a 401(k) Plan Like This One
The Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan is a 401(k), which includes contributions from both the employee (participant) and possibly the employer. When dividing the account via QDRO, these factors must be clearly addressed:
- Employee Contributions: Always 100% vested and divisible.
- Employer Contributions: May be subject to vesting schedules; “unvested” funds are not divisible.
- Account Types: May include both traditional pre-tax and Roth (after-tax) balances, which must be divided accordingly.
- Outstanding Loans: Can complicate division if not addressed properly in the QDRO.
Vesting Schedules and Forfeited Amounts
Understanding Vesting
Vesting refers to the percentage of employer contributions an employee owns after working a certain number of years. If your spouse is not fully vested in the Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan, any unvested employer contributions will be forfeited, and you can’t claim a portion of those amounts in your QDRO.
What You Need to Watch For
Always verify your or your spouse’s vesting schedule through a recent 401(k) statement or the SPD. This avoids drafting a QDRO that tries to divide funds that haven’t been earned yet.
Loan Balances and Repayment
Can Loans Be Divided?
No—401(k) loans can’t be shared or transferred. If the participant has taken a loan against their Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan, it reduces the account’s total balance available for division.
Drafting Tips Around Loans
The QDRO should state whether the loan balance is deducted before or after the alternate payee’s portion is calculated. Not clarifying this often leads to disputes or delays in administering the QDRO.
Roth vs. Traditional 401(k) Accounts
The Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan may offer both traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (after-tax) account types. Each has specific tax profiles:
- Traditional 401(k): Taxes deferred until withdrawal
- Roth 401(k): Contributions taxed upfront, but withdrawals – including earnings – are tax-free (if qualified)
A good QDRO will state whether the division applies proportionately across both types or target one account type specifically. Clarity avoids costly errors, especially when rolling over funds into the alternate payee’s IRA.
QDRO Process for the Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan
The general steps to dividing the Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan include:
- Get the SPD or contact plan administrator: This gives you details needed to draft a conforming QDRO, including where to send it and any required language.
- Prepare the QDRO: Tailor it to reflect the type of division (percentage or dollar amount), the valuation date, and all required disclosures about vesting and loans.
- Submit for pre-approval (if available): Some plans offer voluntary pre-approval reviews. If Wyndham hotels & resorts, Inc.. offers that, this step helps avoid later rejections.
- File with the court: The QDRO must be signed by a judge in the divorce case to become valid.
- Send to the plan for processing: Attach the court-signed QDRO with any required forms and send it to the plan administrator.
- Follow Up: Make sure the alternate payee account is created and funded.
Processing timelines vary depending on the plan and whether the order needs revisions. See our article on 5 factors that determine how long it takes to get a QDRO done.
Common QDRO Mistakes with 401(k)s
Some common errors in QDROs for plans like this include:
- Failing to specify whether loans reduce the divisible balance
- Omitting Roth vs. traditional distinctions
- Trying to divide unvested employer contributions
- Using valuation dates that don’t align with the divorce decree
- Not providing the right plan number or EIN
You can avoid many of these errors by working with seasoned QDRO professionals. Here’s a helpful reference on common QDRO mistakes.
Why Choose PeacockQDROs to Handle This Plan?
At PeacockQDROs, we’ve worked with a wide variety of corporate-sponsored 401(k) plans like the Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan. We maintain near-perfect reviews and pride ourselves on a track record of doing things the right way.
Unlike services that give you a template and walk away, we handle:
- Complete QDRO drafting
- Pre-approval with the administrator (if applicable)
- Court filing
- Plan submission and follow-up
If you’re worried about delays or rejections, let us take that burden off your plate. You can contact us directly or explore all our QDRO resources.
Final Tips When Dividing the Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan
- Gather recent account statements for accurate balances and vesting information
- Be mindful of loan balances and clarify how they affect any awarded portions
- Separate traditional and Roth account divisions where applicable
- Name the correct plan and sponsor (Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings Plan and Wyndham hotels & resorts, Inc..)
- Include the EIN and Plan Number once available for accurate processing
Need Help With This QDRO?
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 Wyndham Hotel Group Employee Savings 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.