Avoid The 401 Early Withdrawal Penalty
While the age for avoiding the penalty is normally 59 1/2, there is an exception to the age rule. If you leave a job or are terminated at age 55 or later, then you can make withdrawals from your account with that employer without paying the penalty. Make sure that you do not make withdrawals from any other plans you might have as those will still be subject to the penalty.
Likewise, remember that there are even heavier penalties for missing required minimum distributions . Upon reaching age 72, you are required to withdraw certain amounts from your account. If you fail to make the withdrawal, then you will receive a penalty of 50% of the amount of the required distribution. Suppose you were required to withdraw $8,000 from your 401. If you miss that distribution, then you will owe $4,000 in the penalty alone!
Other Alternatives To Taking A Hardship Withdrawal Or Loan From Your 401
- Temporarily stop contributing to your employers 401 to free up some additional cash each pay period. Be sure to start contributing again as soon as you can, since foregoing the employer match can be extremely costly in the long run.
- Transfer higher interest rate credit card balances to a lower rate card to free up some cash or take advantage of a new credit card offer with a low interest rate for purchases .
- Take out a home equity line of credit, home equity loan or personal loan.
- Borrow from your whole life or universal life insurance policy some permanent life insurance policies allow you to access funds on a tax-advantaged basis through a loan or withdrawal, generally taken after your first policy anniversary.
- Take on a second job to temporarily increase cash flow or tap into family or community resources, such as a non-profit credit counseling service, if debt is a big issue.
- Downsize to reduce expenses, get a roommate and/or sell unneeded items.
How Long Can A Company Hold Your 401 After You Leave
When you change jobs, it might be unclear how long a company can hold your 401 after you leave. Learn more about your 401 waiting period.
When you leave your job, your employer can choose to hold or disburse your 401 money depending on your age and the amount of retirement savings you have accumulated. How long a company can hold your 401 depends on how much asset you have in the account: the company can hold for as long as you want unless you decide to rollover to a new plan or take a cash out. However, you must have at least $5000 in your 401 if you want the company to continue managing your plan. For amounts below $5000, the employer can hold the funds for up to 60 days, after which the funds will be automatically rolled over to a new retirement account or cashed out.
If you have accumulated a large amount of savings above $5000, your employer can hold the 401 for as long as you want. However, this may be different for small amounts, which the employer can cash out and send in a lump sum, or rollover your 401 into an Individual Retirement Account .
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The Age 55 Exemption Applies Only To The Date Employment Endednot When You Begin Taking Distributions
This is important for those entering retirement early. For example, if you retired from Company ABC at age 50, you would still be subject to the penalty tax if you take distributions at age 55. Since your employment ended before the year in which you turned 55, youd have to wait until age 59 ½ for penalty-free withdrawals.
Early Money: Take Advantage Of The Age 55 Rule
If you retireor lose your jobwhen you are age 55 but not yet 59½, you can avoid the 10% early withdrawal penalty for taking money out of your 401. However, this only applies to the 401 from the employer you just left. Money that is still in an earlier employer’s plan is not eligible for this exceptionnor is money in an individual retirement account .
If your account is between $1,000 and $5,000, your company is required to roll the funds into an IRA if it forces you out of the plan.
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See If You Qualify For An Exception To The 10% Tax Penalty
Generally, the IRS will waive it if any of these situations apply to you:
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You choose to receive substantially equal periodic payments. Basically, you agree to take a series of equal payments from your account. They begin after you stop working, continue for life and generally have to stay the same for at least five years or until you hit 59½ . A lot of rules apply to this option, so be sure to check with a qualified financial advisor first.
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You leave your job. This works only if it happens in the year you turn 55 or later .
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You have to divvy up a 401 in a divorce. If the courts qualified domestic relations order in your divorce requires cashing out a 401 to split with your ex, the withdrawal to do that might be penalty-free.
Other exceptions might get you out of the 10% penalty if you’re cashing out a 401 or making a 401 early withdrawal:
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You become or are disabled.
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You rolled the account over to another retirement plan .
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Payments were made to your beneficiary or estate after you died.
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You gave birth to a child or adopted a child during the year .
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The money paid an IRS levy.
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You were a victim of a disaster for which the IRS granted relief.
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You overcontributed or were auto-enrolled in a 401 and want out .
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You were a military reservist called to active duty.
Planning Out The Timing Of Your Withdrawals
The timing of your early withdrawals is important, says Dave Lowell, certified financial planner and founder of Up Your Money Game.
If you were employed for most of the year and had a relatively high income, then it makes sense to not withdraw money under the rule of 55 in that calendar year, since it will add to your total income for the year and possibly result in you moving to a higher marginal tax bracket, Lowell says.
The better strategy in that scenario may be to use other savings or take withdrawals from after-tax investments until the next calendar rolls around. This may result in your taxable income being much lower.
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Option : Roll Over Your Old 401 Into An Individual Retirement Account
Still another option is to roll over your old 401 into an IRA. The primary benefit of an IRA rollover is having access to a wider range of investment options, since youll be in control of your retirement savings rather than a participant in an employers plan. Depending on what you invest in, a rollover can also save you money from management and administrative fees, costs that can eat into investment returns over time. If you decide to rollover an old 401 into an IRA, you will have several options, each of which has different tax implications.
What’s The Best Thing About A 401k Plan
One of the best things about the 401k plan is that your contribution is paid in pre-tax dollars. Once paid, your 401,000 contributions are deducted from your paycheck first, followed by various other taxes and payroll deductions. Since you’re retiring in the first place, it lowers your taxable income and saves you money.
Roth 401k vs 401kWhy is Roth 401k over traditional? The Roth 401k is likely to make you richer than the traditional 401k and is one of the best investment decisions you can make as a young investor in your 20s and 30s in an uncertain future due to the benefits of leaving the franchise. Roth 401ks pile up and grow over time without paying taxes.What is the difference between pre tax and Roth 401k?Traditional pre-tax deductions of
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Better Options For Emergency Cash Than An Early 401 Withdrawal
We know it can be a struggle when suddenly you need emergency cash for medical expenses, student loans, or crushing consumer debt. The extreme impact of coronavirus on public health and the economy has only compounded some of the more routine challenges of consumer cash flow.
We get it. The money squeeze can be quick and traumatic, especially in a more volatile economy.
Thats why information about an early 401 withdrawal is among the most frequently searched items on principal.com. Understandably so, in a world keen on saddling us with debt.
But the sad reality is that if you do it, you could be missing out on crucial long-term growth, says Stanley Poorman, an advice and planning manager for Principal® Advised Services who helps clients on household money matters.
In short, he says, Youre harming your ability to reach retirement. More on that in a minute. First, lets cover your alternatives.
Move Your Retirement Savings Directly Into Your Current Or New Qrp If The Qrp Allows
If you are at a new company, moving your retirement savings to this employers QRP may be an option. This option may be appropriate if youd like to keep your retirement savings in one account, and if youre satisfied with investment choices offered by this plan. This alternative shares many of the same features and considerations of leaving your money with your former employer.
Features
- Option not available to everyone .
- Waiting period for enrolling in new employers plan may apply.
- New employers plan will determine:
- When and how you access your retirement savings.
- Which investment options are available to you.
Note: If you choose this option, make sure your new employer will accept a transfer from your old plan, and then contact the new plan provider to get the process started. Also, remember to periodically review your investments, and carefully track associated paperwork and documents. There may be no RMDs from your QRP where you are currently employed, as long as the plan allows and you are not a 5% or more owner of that company.
Also Check: How Does 401k Work When You Quit
Get Breaking Stock Alerts
Finally, you could decide to have a mix of traditional and Roth accounts so that you have more flexibility with your withdrawal strategy. For example, if your tax rate is higher than usual in one year in retirement, you could withdraw money from the Roth account rather than having to pay taxes on the traditional account. Just dont forget the required minimum distributions!
When can I take out the money?
With a traditional 401 or IRA, you pay taxes at your income-tax rate when you take out money. As mentioned, theres that 10% penalty if you do it before you are 59 ½ years old. There are some exceptions, such as costs for higher education or unreimbursed medical expenses not covered by insurance as well as under the rule of 55.
But remember, this is retirement money. Let it grow. Time is your biggest ally.
Read:To get rich investing, the power of time beats a lucky stock pick
Still, you cant keep the money there forever. You must start taking out money from a traditional IRA, a traditional 401 and a Roth 401 at age 72 under whats known as a required minimum distribution. Only Roth IRAs are exempt from this rule.
Can I change my investments?
Yes.
You can do this at any time. It can be for fresh money, money youve already invested or both.
So whats this about a backdoor Roth?
This is when you move money from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, paying taxes now in a bet that it will be less than what youd pay later.
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If Youve Already Taken A Withdrawal Or Loan You Can Recover
Stay calm and make steady progress toward recovery. It can be done. Build up a cushion of at least three to nine months of your income. No matter what incremental amount you save to get there, Poorman says, the key detail is consistency and regularity. For instance, have the sum automatically deposited to a savings account so you cant skip it.
Scale back daily expenses. Keep your compact car with 120,000 miles and drive it less often to your favorite steakhouse or fashion boutique.
Save aggressively to your 401 plan as soon as possible and stay on track. Bump up your 401 contribution 1% annually, until you maximize your retirement savings. Sock away the money earned from any job promotion or raise.
Alternatives To Cashing Out
If you want to make a more conservative decision, you can leave your money in your 401 k when you change to a different company or employer. Cashing out your 401 k isn’t a requirement, after all. If you’re happy with your old employer’s 401 k, we recommend that you leave the money where it is. You can withdraw it once you retire. This is also a great way to avoid paying excessive income tax.
You can also stretch out the time that you withdraw money from your 401 k. The funds don’t have to come out in a lump payment. A plan participant leaving an employer typically has four options , each choice offering advantages and disadvantages. You can leave the money in the former employers plan, if permitted Roll over the assets to your new employer plan if one is available and rollovers are permitted Roll over the funds to an IRA or cash out the account value. The more time between your payments, the easier it is to avoid paying extra tax on the money. This is because funds from your 401 k are considered part of your taxable estate.
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Leave Your Money In The Former Employers Plan
You wont be able to make contributions anymore, but this is an option. This is acceptable as a temporary solution while you look for a new job or research where to open your rollover IRA. But it’s not recommended for the long term, because the company may change their investment options over time, and it won’t be easy to ask questions or make changes if you’re no longer working there. If your account balance is less than $5,000, the company may not allow you to leave your money in their plan at all.
Cash out. WARNING! If you take a lump-sum distribution instead of rolling your retirement savings account over to an IRA or a new employers plan, you will have to pay income taxes on the money. You will also pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty if you’re under age 59 ½. Not only do you lose money, but you lose valuable time in building savings, and may never catch up. *
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How To Make The Best Use Of The Rule Of 55
The restrictions of the rule of 55 make it vital to use smart retirement planning techniques. First and foremost, you need to time your early retirement so you don’t leave your job before the year in which you’ll turn 55.
Second, if you want to maximize the amount of money you can withdraw without penalties, you should take advantage of rollover options to move as much money as you can into your current employer’s 401 before leaving your job. For example:
- Many companies allow you to roll over 401s from previous employers into your new employer’s account.
- Many also enable you to move money from an IRA into your workplace 401if the money got into the IRA when you rolled over a former workplace 401.
Any money in your current employer’s 401 account when you leave your job will qualify for the rule of 55, so using rollovers to put as much money into that account as possible provides you with the most flexibility. If you don’t roll the money from old 401s or rollover IRAs into your current 401 before leaving, you won’t have the option to withdraw without penalty until age 59 1/2.
Finally, remember not to roll over your eligible 401 account into an IRA after quitting at age 55 or older. Doing so will cause you to lose the exemption and subject you to penalties for withdrawals until you hit 59 1/2.
Read Also: What Happens To Your 401k When You Switch Jobs
