401(k) Rollover in Edwardsville, IL. Changing jobs or careers is the start of a brand new, exciting chapter in your life. However, many Edwardsville, IL residents wonder what the best options are for their existing 401(k) savings. Managing multiple retirement savings accounts can be stressful without a team of expert and honest financial advisors.
401(k) Rollover in Edwardsville,IL
There are a few different ways to handle your 401(k) rollover in Edwardsville, IL, and oftentimes it takes trustworthy financial planning and a savvy financial advisor to know how to best deal with your savings. Correct Capital is a privately owned firm with fiduciary advisors. This means our only concern is making sure your financial future and planning needs are met. Our business is built on trust and your belief that we’ll do what’s best for you. We offer unbiased, expert advice, that we give free of the conflict of interest that can occur with public shareholders or parent company relationships. Call us today at 877-930-4015 or contact us online to learn more about 401(k) rollover options in Edwardsville, IL.
In general, you have four options to consider when considering a 401(k) rollover.
1. Keep Your 401(k) With Your Former Employer
If you have over $5,000 invested in your 401(k), most, but not all, Edwardsville, IL companies permit you to keep your accrued savings in their plan. The funds stay subject to the same rules, fees, investment plans, and withdrawal options. Many employees in Edwardsville, IL already like the benefits of their 401(k), such as their investment options, website, or any investing tools or guidance they offer. In this case, it may make sense to not roll over your 401(k), and to keep the savings where they are. If you leave your job between the ages of 55 and 59 ½, you may be eligible for penalty-free withdrawals. Additionally, per federal law, 401(k)s are generally protected against claims by creditors. keeping your assets in your original 401(k) frees you from having to make rushed decisions about where to place your money, and you’re still free to roll over the funds any time you’d like.
However, it should be mentioned that keeping your old 401(k) means you can no longer make contributions to it, which may have an impact on your retirement planning. After the age of 72, you will be required to take out “required minimum distributions” from those 401(k) accounts you have at old employers. It can also be daunting to manage several different retirement plans with numerous recordkeepers. Withdrawal options can be limited and large amounts of your money will be withheld. You would not be able to take out a 401(k) loan. Correct Capital's retirement consultants can help you decide if sticking with your old 401(k) is the best option for you.
2. Roll Over Your 401(k) to Your New Employer
If your new employer in Edwardsville, IL also offers a 401(k), most employers will allow you to roll over your 401(k) assets to their plan. You may consider this if the new plan has better benefits than the previous plan, including lower fees, better investment options, opportunities, advice, or loan options. Also, required minimum distributions may be delayed even after you turn 72 as long as you are still working.
If the benefits with your previous 401(k) included company stock, you may require special financial planning needs when rolling over your 401(k) to a new employer. The 401(k) plan with your new employer may not contain all the benefits of your previous one. A trustworthy financial advisor will help you decide if you should stick with your previous plan or roll over your 401(k) to your new employer.
3. Open a Rollover IRA
IRA stands for Individual Retirement Account. A Rollover IRA is an account opened to move savings from a previous employer’s 401(k). If you already have an IRA, you can consider transferring the money there for your 401(k) rollover. Depending on which type of 401(k) you were contributing to, it may be best to roll money to a Traditional or a Roth IRA. This way, the tax status of your previous contributions stays the same.
Traditional IRA
Money deposited into a Traditional IRA are considered to be pre-tax money. Your pre-tax money you paid into your 401(k) will likely be put into a traditional IRA. Withdrawals from this account may be subject to taxes and an early withdrawal penalty. After turning 72, you will have to withdraw required minimum distributions regardless of your status in the workforce.
Roth IRA
Money deposited into Roth IRAs are made with after-tax money, so there is no immediate tax benefit. The benefit is that Roth IRA money grows tax-free. Money you contributed to a Roth 401(k) account is often rolled into a Roth IRA. At any time you can withdraw the contributions you make without having to pay taxes, and your earnings are not taxed if you keep your account for at least 5 years, and are at least 59 ½ when funds are withdrawn. Different from Roth 401(k) contributions, money held in a Roth IRA is not subject to required minimum distributions.
While you may roll pre-tax money from your 401(k) plan into a Roth IRA, you will pay taxes on the amount received into a Roth IRA as you are “converting” pre-tax money into after-tax money.
You can open an IRA with many banks or any brokerage firm in Edwardsville, IL, however many come with varying fees or other expenses. Our team of financial advisors at Correct Capital partners with several trusted financial custodians and will help you find the best fit for you.
4. Cash Out.
The fourth option is almost never advisable unless you are in urgent need of money now. You will be subjected to a 20% federal withholding rate, and could face a 10% early withdrawal penalty if you take the money out before you are 59 ½ years old or if you separate before 55 years old. This could potentially result in a large amount of your withdrawal going towards taxes and not into your back account. Additionally, the money won’t keep growing and it will no longer be tax-deferred. Therefore, a 401(k) rollover is preferable if you do not need the money in the account immediately.
Indirect vs. Direct 401(k) Rollovers in Edwardsville, IL
There are two ways to rollover your 401(k):
- Direct rollover — In a direct rollover, your former 401(k) company will send a check directly to your new retirement account with instructions to put the money into the IRA or 401(k) you are rolling your savings into. Each custodian has its own way of doing things, so the best first step is to reach out to your previous employer's 401(k) company for their process.
- Indirect rollover — In an indirect rollover, you withdraw the funds from your account, and then you deposit the savings directly into your new account. This is also referred to as a 60-day rollover because the money needs to be deposited into the new account within 60 days in order to avoid paying income taxes and early withdrawal penalties.
Like cashing out a 401(k), an indirect rollover is typically not advisable except under specific circumstances. Your Edwardsville, IL financial advisor will help you understand what the best way to proceed is.
Avoiding Common 401(k) Rollover Pitfalls
Even for Edwardsville, IL residents with a solid grasp of their finances, a 401(k) rollover is not something most people have experience with. The most common pitfalls people make when considering their options include:
- Not weighing all your options — If you like your current 401(k) plan, you may be better off sticking with it. But you would be doing yourself a disservice not to consider how a rollover could allow your money to grow more, or offer other benefits your current plan doesn't.
- Not opening a new account first — If you do rollover your 401(k), it's important that the new account is already open, and that your new custodian is expecting a rollover. If they get a check when they aren't expecting a rollover, they may think it is a regular contribution that you might have to pay taxes on.
- Neglecting your old 401(k) — While this may sound strange, Americans lost almost $8 billion in retirement savings in 2015. A lot can come with moving to a new job, but neglecting to do anything about your 401(k) could significantly impact what you have available for your golden rules.
- Not taking into account the same property rule — The property your new account receives must be the property that was rolled over. Meaning, you can't withdraw cash from your 401(k), buy stock with it and move those assets into a new account. If you do that, you would have to pay property tax, and if you're less than 59½ you'll have to pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty.
- Rolling over a required minimum distribution — There is no way to roll over an RMD. If you do, you will be subject to a 6% excess IRA contribution tax.
- Not speaking to a retirement planner — Financial advisors deal with investment, tax planning, and other 401(k) rollover considerations every day.
We also offer a full range of other financial services in Edwardsville, IL:
- Succession Planning
- Fiduciary Financial Advisor
- Company 401(k) Plans
- ESOP Advisor
- Self-Employed Retirement Plans
- 401(k) For Small Business
- Small Business Retirement Plans
- Tax Planning
Call a 401(k) Rollover Advisor Today
What to do with your 401(k) from your previous job depends on your unique situation. Many residents of Edwardsville, IL have found choosing Correct Capital as their financial advisors to be the best decision for them. Our financial advisors operate under the fiduciary principle, which means that we are legally bound to act in good faith and have your best interests at heart. As Registered Investment Advisors, we have access to a wealth of investment research that we’ll provide you with. We’re built on trust, honesty, and integrity.
Call us today at 877-930-4015, contact us online, or schedule an appointment with our financial and retirement planning advisors to decide how to best manage your 401(k) rollover. Call 877-930-4015 or reach out to our financial advisors in Edwardsville, IL today.
