401(k) Rollover in St. Charles, MO. Starting a new job is an exciting time that can present you with new challenges and opportunities. However, many St. Charles, MO residents wonder what the best options are for their 401(k) with their previous employer. Managing multiple retirement savings accounts can be complex and take more time than many people are willing to put in.
401(k) Rollover in St. Charles,MO
There are a few different ways to handle your 401(k) rollover in St. Charles, MO, and usually 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 any advice we give is based on what we believe is best for your financial needs. Our business is built on trust and your confidence that we’ll do what’s best for you. We offer objective, 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 St. Charles, MO.
Generally speaking, you have four options to consider when considering a 401(k) rollover.
1. Keep Your 401(k) With Your Previous Employer
If you have over $5,000 invested in your 401(k), many St. Charles, MO 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 St. Charles, MO 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 keep them where they are instead of a 401(k) rollover. 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 move the funds any time you’d like.
However, it should be mentioned that if you don’t rollover your old 401(k), you won’t be able to continue adding contributions to it, which may have an effect on your retirement planning. After the age of 72, you will be required to withdraw “required minimum distributions” from those 401(k) accounts you have at old employers. It can also be complicated to manage several different retirement plans with numerous recordkeepers. Withdrawal options can be limited and have large federal withholding requirements. You would not be able to take out a 401(k) loan. Correct Capital's retirement consultants can help you choose whether you should stay with your old 401(k) or not.
2. Roll Over Your 401(k) to Your New Employer
If your new job in St. Charles, MO also offers a 401(k), most of the time they will permit you to roll over your 401(k) savings to their plan. You may consider this if the new plan’s features are preferable to the previous plan’s, including lower fees, better investment options, opportunities, insight, or loan options. Also, you will not be required to withdraw required minimum distributions after you turn 72 if you are still working.
If part of your previous 401(k) portfolio includes company stock, you may have 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 a 401(k) rollover or sticking with your previous plan is right for you.
3. Open a Rollover IRA
IRA is an abbreviation for Individual Retirement Account. A Rollover IRA is an account used to move funds from a former employer’s 401(k). If you’ve already opened an IRA, you can consider transferring the savings 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 may be tax-deductible. 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. When you turn 72, you will have to withdraw required minimum distributions regardless of whether or not you are still in the workforce.
Roth IRA
Money deposited into Roth IRAs are made with after-tax money, so there is no tax benefit at the time the contributions are made. The benefit is that Roth IRA money grows tax-free. Money you contributed to a Roth 401(k) account is usually rolled into a Roth IRA. At any time you can take out the money you’ve invested without having to pay taxes, and if you maintain the account for at least 5 years and are 59 ½ years old, you do not pay taxes on your earnings. Unlike 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 would be “converting” pre-tax money into after-tax money, which means you would have to pay taxes on the money received into the Roth IRA.
You can start an IRA account with many banks or any brokerage firm in St. Charles, MO, 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 what’s right for you.
4. Cash Out.
The fourth option is seldom advisable unless you are in grave 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 result in a large amount of your savings going towards taxes and not into your pocket. 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 your pocket immediately.
Indirect vs. Direct 401(k) Rollovers in St. Charles, MO
There are two different ways to actually move the money in 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 is different, 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, the funds are paid directly to you, and you deposit the savings directly into your IRA or new 401(k). This is also called a 60-day rollover because you need to redeposit the money 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 a good idea except under specific circumstances. Your St. Charles, MO financial advisor will help you understand what the best way to proceed is.
Avoiding Common 401(k) Rollover Pitfalls
For even the most financially literate St. Charles, MO residents, deciding what 401(k) rollover options is best for you isn't easy. The most common pitfalls you should avoid are:
- Not considering all your options — If you like some aspects of your current 401(k) plan, you may be better off sticking with it. But you would not longer be able to contribute to it, and a new account may have tools and resources your current plan doesn't.
- Not opening a new account first — If you do open up an IRA or new 401(k), it's important to open a new account first and inform your new custodian that they'll be receiving a rollover check. If they get a check when they aren't expecting a rollover, they may mistake it for a regular contribution that you might have to pay taxes on.
- Forgetting about your 401(k) — While you might be surprised that people lose track of their retirement savings, Americans accidentally abandoned $7.7 billion in retirement savings in 2015. A new job brings a lot of life changes with it, but accidentally leaving behind your retirement funds could significantly reduce how much you put away for retirement.
- Neglecting 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 bonds or another asset 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 also be subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty.
- Rolling over a required minimum distribution — You are not allowed to roll over a required minimum distribution. If you do, you will have to pay a 6% excess IRA contribution tax.
- Not speaking to a financial advisor — Financial advisors deal with investment, tax planning, and other 401(k) rollover considerations every day.
We also assist St. Charles, MO residents with:
- 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
Your unique situation will dictate which 401(k) option is best for you. Many people in St. Charles, MO 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 share with you. 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 St. Charles, MO today.
