Top Reasons Why You Should Not Roll Over a 401(k) to an IRA

You’ve left your job. What should you do with the 401(k) plan you’ve faithfully contributed to for years? Conventional wisdom says to roll it over into an individual retirement account (IRA).

In many cases, that is the best course of action. But there are times when a rollover is not your smartest option.

Let’s take a look at five of those situations and the rationale for keeping your 401(k)—or, if you’re a public or nonprofit employee, your 403(b) or 457 plan—in place at your now-former employer’s plan.

1. Greater Buying Power

Company 401(k)s can purchase funds at institutional pricing rates, which is not usually true for IRAs. Think of it as a corporate discount.

Because they’re investing for many workers, “most 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans have significant buying power—much more than the individual [retirement account],” says Wayne Bogosian, ex-president of the PFE Group and co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to 401(k) Plans. 

That can save you significant money on fees, leaving more to appreciate in your account.

2. Tax Savings

If your 401(k) plan includes company stock that has greatly appreciated, you could save a lot on taxes if you transfer that stock to a regular brokerage account.

You will have to pay taxes on the shares taken out of your 401(k) at your current income tax bracket’s rate. However, the tax is based on your original purchase price.

You won’t pay for any gain on that stock until you actually sell it—and then you’ll pay at the long-term capital gains tax rate, which is lower than the income tax rate. This is known as net unrealized appreciation (NUA).

“NUA is a tremendous opportunity for individuals with appreciated company stock in their 401(k),” says Jonathan Swanburg, CFP®, President of TSA Wealth Management in Houston, Texas.

“If, on the other hand, a plan participant holds depreciated company stock that she plans to hold until the price goes higher, she should consider selling her shares and repurchasing them shortly thereafter,” he adds.

“Inside a 401(k), the wash-sale rule doesn’t apply, and this resets the cost basis, increasing the potential for taking advantage of the NUA down the road.”

Example

Let’s suppose that the company stock was bought for $10,000 and is currently worth $50,000 on the market.

Your tax bill for transferring the stock to the brokerage firm will be based on the $10,000 purchase price. You won’t be taxed on any of the gains until you sell it.

Because the stock is in a brokerage account, when you do sell it, it will be taxed at the more favorable capital gains tax rate versus the ordinary income tax rate.

In contrast, if you rolled over that stock into an IRA, it would eventually be taxed at your income tax rate when you need to sell the stock to start taking your required minimum distributions (RMDs) from the IRA. RMDs begin at age 73, as mandated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

There are, however, reasons to be cautious. Below are two:

• Make sure the holdings in your 401(k) are actual stock shares of the employer that provided the 401(k).
• Make sure the transfer of these holdings doesn’t bump up your income into a higher tax bracket. That could mean you’d end up owing the IRS much more than you otherwise would come next April.

3. Legal Protection

Money held in a 401(k) is protected by federal law from nearly all types of creditor judgments, other than IRS tax liens and some spousal or child support orders. IRAs are less protected.

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 does protect up to $1 million in traditional or Roth IRA assets against bankruptcy. But protection against other types of judgments varies by state.

If you are concerned about potential judgments, creditors, or collections, keeping your 401(k) funds in place might afford the most safety.

4. Early Retirement Benefits

“One of the most important reasons not to roll over your 401(k) to an IRA is to have access to your funds before age 59½,” says Marguerita Cheng, CFP®, CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth in Louisville, Kentucky.

“They can be accessed as early as age 55, versus having to pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty in an IRA.”

In fact, after you leave, you may be able to withdraw money from your 401(k) multiple times each year without penalty starting at age 55. (The employer sets the rules about how many times people can withdraw funds.)

You lose this privilege once you roll the 401(k) into an IRA, and you’ll have to wait until age 59½ to access your money without penalty.

However, there’s an important exception to the early distribution penalty. IRS rule 72(t) allows you to make withdrawals under the substantially equal periodic payment (SEPP) program.

If you’re still working for your employer, SEPP withdrawals are not permitted from the qualified retirement plan. However, if you’re separated from the company, you can qualify for this exception. The funds can also come from an IRA under SEPP at any time.

The distributions are formulated as a series of substantially equal periodic payments over your life expectancy using IRS tables.

However, once you start SEPP payments, you must continue for a minimum of five years or until you reach the age of 59½, whichever comes later. If you fail to meet this requirement, the 10% penalty will be levied, and you may owe penalties from prior tax years if you had taken distributions.

5. Stable Value Funds

Company 401(k) plans have access to a special type of fund called a stable value fund. Not available to the individual market, these funds are similar to money market funds, but they typically offer better interest rates.

If you’d like to take advantage of these risk-averse vehicles, and your 401(k) offers them as an option, then seriously consider sticking to your current plan.

The Bottom Line

When you part ways with your company, deciding what to do with your retirement savings can be daunting. Rolling over a 401(k) might work for most people, but there are reasons why leaving the money in the company fund could work better.

Do check your company’s rules, though: Most employers require you to maintain a minimum sum in your 401(k) if you want to leave the account in place after your employment ends. There also may be differences in your access, fund-allocation privileges, and fees.

There’s one other option to investigate if you want to keep your money in a 401(k) after you leave your old job for a new one: rolling over the money in your previous job’s plan into the 401(k) at your new company, if that’s permitted. 

This is an excellent option for older employees who want to keep that money from being subject to RMDs. You don’t have to take RMDs from your 401(k) at the company where you currently work.

Just make sure that the new plan’s fees aren’t higher and that the investment options are comparable.