401(k) Rollover in St. Louis Hills, MO. Changing jobs or careers is the start of a brand new, exciting chapter in your life. However, it’s often difficult for St. Louis Hills, MO residents to know what to do with 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 St. Louis Hills,MO
There are a few different ways to handle your 401(k) rollover in St. Louis Hills, MO, and oftentimes it takes trustworthy financial planning and an experienced financial advisor to know which option is best for you. 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 impartial, 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. Louis Hills, MO.
Normally, 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, St. Louis Hills, 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. Louis Hills, 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 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. If you keep your assets in your old 401(k), you won’t have to make any immediate decisions regarding your money, and you’re still free to move the funds any time you’d like.
However, it is important to note that if you don’t rollover your old 401(k), you won’t be able to add to your savings, which may have an impact 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 several different custodians. 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 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 position in St. Louis Hills, MO also offers a 401(k), most employers 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, guidance, or loan options. Also, you will not be required to withdraw required minimum distributions after you turn 72 as long as 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 also contain higher fees or less diverse investment options. A knowledgeable 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 money from a previous employer’s 401(k). If you’ve already opened an IRA, you can consider transferring the funds there for your 401(k) rollover. Depending on how you contributed to your 401(k) plan, you may 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 contributed to 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 take out required minimum distributions regardless of whether or not you are still in the workforce.
Roth IRA
Contributions to Roth IRAs are made with after-tax money, so there is no immediate tax benefit. The benefit is that you do not pay taxes when you withdraw the money. Money you contributed to a Roth 401(k) account is likely to be rolled into a Roth IRA. At any time you can access the money you’ve invested without tax consequences, and you will not pay taxes on your earnings if you are 59 ½ years old and wait at least 5 years to withdraw any funds. 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 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 open an IRA with many banks or any brokerage firm in St. Louis Hills, MO, however many of them vary when it comes to fees or other expenses. Our team of financial advisors at Correct Capital partners with several trusted financial custodians and will help you find one that suits your needs.
4. Cash Out.
This last option is typically not 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 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 the account immediately.
Indirect vs. Direct 401(k) Rollovers in St. Louis Hills, MO
There are two different ways to actually move the money in your 401(k):
- Direct rollover — In a direct rollover, the custodian holding your 401(k) funds will send a check directly to your new retirement account with instructions to put the money into your new plan. 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, you withdraw the savings from your account, and then you deposit the funds 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 usually not advisable unless circumstances dictate you need money in the short term. Your St. Louis Hills, MO financial advisor will help you understand what the best way to proceed is.
Avoiding Common 401(k) Rollover Mistakes
Even for St. Louis Hills, MO residents with a good understanding of their finances, deciding what 401(k) rollover options is best for you isn't easy. The most common mistakes you should avoid include:
- Not weighing 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 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 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 could be subject to taxes.
- Forgetting about your 401(k) — While you might think it's hard to lose track of their retirement savings, Americans lost almost $8 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 impact what you have available for your golden rules.
- Not taking into account the same property rule — The funds you roll over must be the "same property." Meaning, you can't withdraw cash from your 401(k), buy bonds or another asset with it and deposit those new assets into a new account. The IRS considers that taxable income, and if you're under 59½ you'll have to pay 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 be subject to a 6% excess IRA contribution tax.
- Not consulting with a financial advisor — Financial advisors are well-versed in 401(k) rollovers, proper procedure, and the pro and cons of each of your options.
We also assist St. Louis Hills, 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
Contact a 401(k) Rollover Advisor Today
Your unique situation will dictate which 401(k) option is best for you. Many in St. Louis Hills, 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. Louis Hills, MO today.
