Advantages 401K Rollover Buffalo NY

A 401k rollover is the term typically used when an individual who has a 401k plan wishes to “rollover” their retirement plan into a new IRA (Individual Retirement Account). 

This process is most commonly referred to as a “401k rollover” or an “IRA rollover”, and typically occurs when you change employers or retire and want to better control how your retirement savings are invested.

If you leave a job for whatever reason and have a 401k account, you traditionally can decide between taking a lump sum (with possible tax penalties), to keep the funds with your old employer (if they allow this), or to arrange a 401k rollover into a new IRA. 

The IRA is not an investment itself, but merely an account that holds future investments on your behalf, such as stocks, bond, annuities, mutual funds and money market funds.

With an IRA, you will have a wide array of choices, and you can often choose funds that charge lower fees than a 401(k).

 
The advantages of a 401k rollover are that you can avoid any immediate tax liabilities, and keep your money earning tax-deferred income on track within your retirement plan. 

Millions of 401k rollovers take place each year between insurance companies, banks and financial institutions. It is important to make sure that your former employer transfers the funds from your 401k direct to your new IRA account.

If the money is sent to you, they must withhold 20% of the distribution as a prepayment of federal taxes, in addition to other possible fees and penalties. 

Make sure you to set up your rollover as a trustee-to-trustee transfer, which moves your 401(k) balance directly to the IRA provider. Don’t let your employer write you a check, or 20% of your balance will be withheld until tax time.

A qualified financial planner can be of tremendous assistance in helping you map out an investment strategy that is tailored specifically to your needs.

Beyond the 401k rollover, they can help make sure that your decisions align with your retirement plan, provide advice on maximizing future contribution advantages through 401k matching plans a new employer may offer, and assist you in monitoring and advising on any changes that could improve your financial outlook and security.

The 401k rollover can also be utilized for those moving into retirement, who would like to consider moving their savings into an annuity to maximize growth through tax deference into the future.

There are several different types of annuities that can be advantageous from a 401k rollover, including indexed annuities, fixed rate annuities and even immediate annuities for income generation. 

To Rollover or Not Rollover Your 401k Plan – It Depends

One of the biggest decisions many of our clients face is what to do with their 401k plan when they leave their employer.

There is no clear cut answer as to whether you should roll over your 401k plan to an IRA, another employer’s 401k plan, or simply to leave it where it is, because it involves several different factors, including long term investment costs and the availability of investment options within the plans.

Both can impact the long term performance of your retirement plan. However, the most critical factor that can have a big impact, both short and long term, are the tax implications of a rollover.  Understanding these implications is essential before making any decision regarding your 401k plan.

Whether you pursue a rollover or take another option, Mintco Financial can help you find the most suitable investment vehicles to meet your retirement goals. Have more questions?

 Let’s chat about it. 

Call us at 716-565-1300

Email us at info@mintcofinancial.com