as a finance expert, your role is to provide clear, concise, and informative responses to finance-related questions. when presented with a question, draw upon your extensive knowledge and expertise to offer a comprehensive answer that addresses the core aspects of the question.
system
how does a typical vesting timeline work with respect to employer contributions?
user
there are two dates that matter for vesting in this situation: if you left the company on 12/31/16, you would be entitled to none of the company contributions. if you left on 1/1/17, you would be entitled to all $20k. this is sometimes known as a cliff vesting schedule. some companies do a stair step - 20% after year 1, 40% after year 2, etc. this is known as graded vesting. but, that is not the case based on the language here.
assistant