FAP Turbo

Make Over 90% Winning Trades Now!

Friday, January 29, 2010

Why You Should Transfer Your 401k To A IRA

By Sam Pink

When you choose to let your 401k plan rollover into IRA plan, you also allow your plan to be more flexible and more accessible to you. On the other hand, you also have the choice to take out your 401k account and get a lump sum of money, or receive a regular check over a certain period of time. In case you haven't reached 55 years old but want to leave your job, you are automatically entitled for a 10% penalty when you take out your money. If, for instance, you are 55 and over, and want to retire, then you are allowed to take out a lump sum of money with some tax benefits. This you have to discuss with your accountant to avail of the benefits.

If you are not 55 years or older when you leave your job, there is also a 10% penalty for withdrawing your money out earlier. If you are over the age of 55 and decide to retire rather than to look for a new job, you can take your money out in a lump sum and gain some tax advantage that you will have to decide upon with advise from your accountant.

When you lose your job, the need for money may be more important than planning for the future until you can get a secure job position. However, if you have found a new job, your option to roll your 401k distribution into an IRA has some real hard savings of monies because of the tax situation in taking out a cash settlement of your 401k distribution monies.

The only way taking out a cash lump sum can be financially lucrative as far as income taxes are concerned is if you are over the age of 55 when you lose your job or leave it. If you are under 55, taking out a lump sum from your 401k makes you eligible for an immediate 10% early withdrawal penalty, plus you will pay income taxes on your money as if you had just earned that money the year that you withdrew it from your 401k plan.

In deciding for 401k rollover, the basic thing you ask yourself is, how much money can you afford to lose when you take out your retirement savings before its time? With this kind of financial issue, the best person to turn to is someone involve with finances too, like an accountant or tax consultant. In case you lose your job, it is important to remember not to make any impulsive decision of pulling out your 401k money. What is a 401(k) Rollover? When you leave employment, either voluntarily or not, you will need to roll over your 401k plan to a new account within 60 days of your departure. Failure to do so may lead to high management fees charged to your plan as well as possible penalties.

If your take your 401k distribution directly from your fund and then redeposit it into a new job's IRA, you will save on the early withdrawal penalty but will have to pay 20% in tax withholding. That money for your taxes will come out of your distribution before you get a cash pay out into your new IRA plan.

When you have located a new account holder to manage your 401k contact their transfer department and have them roll your old account into their new one. Because the plan holder is taking care of this transaction you avoid all fees associated with the money and you avoid taxes and penalties because the money was never withdrawn, just rolled over into a new account.The most important things to remember is that you must transfer your 401k in the right time frame and that you let the managing companies complete the process. This saves you from facing fines or taxes and it allows you to keep saving for your retirement with little or no effort. - 23217

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home