What's the difference between cliff vesting and graded vesting on my 401(k) match?

Vesting determines how much of the employer match you actually keep if you leave. Your own contributions are always 100% yours immediately — vesting only applies to the company's money. With cliff vesting, you get nothing until a set date (often 3 years), then become 100% vested all at once; leave at 2 years and 11 months and you forfeit the entire match. With graded vesting, ownership phases in over time — for example 20% per year over 6 years, so after 3 years you keep 60%. Federal law caps these schedules (cliff at 3 years, graded at 6 years for matching contributions). Check your Summary Plan Description before quitting; timing a departure a few weeks later can lock in thousands. If you're weighing a job change, wealthserene.com/for/job-change walks through the money details.