401(k) Rollover in Town and Country, MO. Changing jobs or careers is the start of a brand new, exciting chapter in your life. However, it’s often difficult for Town and Country, MO residents to know what to do with their 401(k) with their previous employer. Managing multiple retirement savings accounts can be stressful without a team of expert and honest financial advisors.
401(k) Rollover in Town and Country,MO
There are a few different ways to handle your 401(k) rollover in Town and Country, MO, and usually it takes trustworthy financial planning and an experienced financial advisor to know how to best deal with your savings. Correct Capital is a privately owned firm with fiduciary advisors. This means we work in your best interest to make sure your money is working for you as you want it to. Our business is built on trust and your belief 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 Town and Country, 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), most, but not all, Town and Country, MO companies allow you to keep your retirement savings in their plan. The funds stay subject to the same rules, fees, investment plans, and withdrawal options. Many employees in Town and Country, 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 roll over 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 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 understand if sticking with your old 401(k) is right for you.
2. Roll Over Your 401(k) to Your New Employer
If your new job in Town and Country, MO also offers a 401(k), most of the time they will allow you to roll over your 401(k) funds to their plan. This might be the best option if the new plan’s features are preferable to the previous plan’s, including lower fees, better investment options, opportunities, advice, or loan options. Also, required minimum distributions may be delayed even after you turn 72 if you are still in the workforce.
If you have company stock in your previous 401(k) portfolio, 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. An experienced 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 stands for Individual Retirement Account. A Rollover IRA is an account started to move funds from a former employer’s 401(k). If you already have an IRA, you can consider transferring the money 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
Contributions made to a Traditional IRA may be tax-deductible. 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. When you turn 72, you will be required to withdraw required minimum distributions regardless of your status in the workforce.
Roth IRA
Money deposited into Roth IRAs are made with money you already paid taxes on, so there is no tax benefit at the time the contributions are made. The benefit is that you do not pay taxes when you withdraw the money. Money you contributed to a Roth 401(k) account is often 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, there are no required minimum distributions in a Roth IRA.
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 Town and Country, MO, however they often vary in terms of 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 choice for you.
4. Cash Out.
The fourth option is rarely 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 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 Town and Country, 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 your new IRA or 401(k). Each firm runs differently, 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 IRA or new 401(k). This is also known as a 60-day rollover because there is a 60-day time limit for when you can deposit the money, or else you could end up 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 Town and Country, MO financial advisor will be able to help you determine which option is best.
Avoiding Common 401(k) Rollover Mistakes
Even for Town and Country, MO residents with a good grasp of their finances, a 401(k) rollover is not something most people have experience with. The most common mistakes people make when considering their options are:
- Not weighing all your options — If you like many 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 that are not offered by your current plan.
- 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 think it is 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 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.
- Forgetting about 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 assets with it and deposit those new assets into a new account. If you do that, you would have to pay property tax, 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 an RMD. If you do, you will be subject to a 6% penalty tax on any excess amount.
- Not working with a retirement planner — Financial advisors deal with investment, tax planning, and other 401(k) rollover considerations every day.
We also assist Town and Country, MO residents with:
- Succession Planning
- Fiduciary Financial Advisor
- Company 401(k) Plans
- ESOP Advisor
- Self-Employed Retirement Plans
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 Town and Country, 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 vast array of investment research that we’ll share with you. We’re based 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 make the best decision for your 401(k) rollover. Call 877-930-4015 or reach out to our financial advisors in Town and Country, MO today.
