Enter your old employer to find your 401(k) and start your free rollover.
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Deciding what to do with an old 401(k) can seem daunting. While there are a few options for you to consider, many people who transfer their money choose to roll over their 401(k) into an IRA — here’s why:
While it’s easy to request a 401(k) withdrawal (commonly known as “cashing out” your 401(k)), the IRS will take a big chunk out of the money you get. Most of the time you’ll pay income tax on the withdrawal in the year that it occurs, plus a 10% penalty on top if you’re underneath what the IRS deems to be “retirement age”.
Rolling over into an IRA allows you to continue saving for retirement in a tax-effective way until you retire – just like most 401(k) plans.
Rolling over into a new 401(k) is not always possible or as easy as rolling over into an IRA. The new company you’re going to might not offer a 401(k) or have restrictions on rolling over 401(k) accounts from previous employers. There can also be a lag before you start a new job and when a 401(k) account is made available to you at that new job.
If it is possible then it’s definitely worth considering. Just be aware that you’ll eventually need to roll over into an IRA when you leave the new employer, or down the line.
IRAs on the other hand, are never tied to your employer. Rolling your 401(k) over into an IRA allows you to continue growing your retirement savings in a tax-effective way, while also giving you more control over your investments.
Excessive fees can erode your savings and make it harder to prepare for retirement. While some 401(k) providers have very competitive fees, some of them continue to charge high fees and make it hard to find exactly what those fees are. While some IRA providers can do the same, it’s generally easy to see what fees you’ll be paying before opening up an IRA.
Unlike a 401(k) where the company chooses the provider for you, you actually get to pick which institution to have your IRA at. So if a seamless digital experience is important to you, you can pick one of the many digital advisors that offer IRAs. If you want a brand-name institution, you can pick one of those too.
The investment options in a 401(k) are generally limited by what your company and 401(k) provider have selected. IRAs though tend to offer a far wider range of investments. If you open an IRA at a brokerage like Schwab or E*TRADE then you’ll be able to pick from a large universe of stocks, ETFs, and other instruments.
If you want to have your money managed for you in an IRA, that’s fine too. Many institutions offer an “automated IRA” or a set-it-and-forget-it portfolio that’s created and rebalanced for you.
