Rey Financial Group, Short Hills NJ

Planning for Retirement
401(k) Distribution Options

Developing your retirement income strategy is part of the Envision® process.
We can help you analyze possible expenses and sources of income.
Checking on your strategy annually can help you maintain course.

It starts with a plan

Creating a plan can help you stay focused, plan for challenges ahead, and make choices that work for you.

Our Envision planning process is the foundation we use to develop your retirement income plan. It can help you make choices and tackle the following topics:

When and how can I retire with confidence?
How can I help make my money last as long as I’m retired?
Where will my income come from?
How do I prepare for and respond to events throughout retirement?
When and how should I address my legacy goals?

7 common retirement planning moves

Will the money in your investment accounts last through retirement? Here are some steps that go beyond the basics of using tax-advantaged funds and making regular contributions.

Review your portfolio - Conduct regular investment checkups on your own and with us.
Maintain emergency savings - Wells Fargo Advisors recommends keeping an emergency fund with enough money to cover living expenses for three to six months. Keep emergency funds in a liquid account you can easily access if needed.
Set an appropriate asset allocation - Investments are fluid. Some are more volatile, but all can be affected by market fluctuations. Adjust your assets to align with your current goals and tolerance for risk.
Itemize your income plan - Understand where your retirement funds will come from. List out all sources, such as Social Security and pensions. For each item, list how it might generate income for your portfolio.
Clean up your accounts - Consider consolidating accounts. You’ll not only have less paperwork, you can help keep an eye on your asset allocation and overall investment strategy. We can talk about your choices and what might make the most sense for you. Before taking any action, speak with your current retirement plan administrator and tax professional.
Sell assets strategically - Selling assets can have tax implications. Proceeds could nudge you into a higher tax bracket. Balance the concern of minimizing taxes when you’re selling assets with your portfolio’s allocation strategy. Talk with us about the choices you have in this situation.
Talk with family - Partners and spouses should be on the same page regarding your financial portfolio. Cover some key financial details:

Current total assets
How much you have saved right now
How much is in each account
Where the funds are located
Your budget

Part of your plan is how you spend your money – now and when you retire. Talk about it.

Common risks to address

While we develop your retirement plan, you’ll want to look at risks such as inflation, market events, health needs, withdrawal strategy, and how long you’re likely to live. Understanding the impact these challenges may have on your savings and planning for them can help you stay the course.

Have an ongoing process

Planning for retirement is not a “one and done” kind of activity. A good plan should be checked regularly and adjusted, as necessary. Keep an eye on your portfolio, talk about your expectations, and prepare for the unexpected.

Schedule an annual checkup with us to review your plans, your current circumstances, and your portfolio. We’ll work together to discuss your choices and what works for you.

Next steps

Think about what you hope your retirement will be.
Write down all your possible sources of income and expenses in retirement.
Take a look at your portfolio and call us if you have any questions about changing your asset allocation.
Call us to start on your personalized retirement income plan.

Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide tax or legal advice.

Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. Asset allocation cannot eliminate the risk of fluctuating prices and uncertain returns. Diversification does not guarantee profit or protect against loss in declining markets. Stocks offer long-term growth potential, but may fluctuate more and provide less current income than other investments. An investment in the stock market should be made with an understanding of the risks associated with common stocks, including market fluctuations. Dividends are not guaranteed and are subject to change or elimination.

Generally you have four distribution choices for your qualified employer–sponsored retirement plan (QRP) assets
Each has unique factors to keep in mind
Know all of your options before making a decision

Decide which option is right for you

If you’re changing jobs or retiring, you’ll need to decide what to do with assets in your 401(k) or other qualified employer-sponsored retirement plan (QRP). These savings can represent a significant portion of your retirement income, so it’s important you carefully evaluate all of the options.

Generally, you have four options:

Roll the assets to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
Leave the funds in your former employer’s retirement plan (if allowed)
Move savings to your new employer’s plan (if allowed)
Withdraw or “distribute” the money

Roll the assets to an IRA

Rolling your retirement savings to an IRA provides the following features:

Assets continue their tax-advantaged status and growth potential
You can continue to make annual contributions, if eligible
An IRA often gives you more investment options than are typically available in an employer’s plan
You also may have access to investment advice

Before rolling your assets to an IRA consider the following:

IRA fees and expenses are generally higher than those in your employer’s retirement plan
Loans from an IRA are prohibited
In addition to ordinary income taxes, distributions prior to age 59 1/2 may be subject to a 10% IRS tax penalty
IRAs are subject to state creditor laws
If you own appreciated employer securities, favorable tax treatment of the net unrealized appreciation (NUA) is lost if rolled into an IRA

Leave the funds with your former employer

You may be able to leave your retirement plan savings in your former employer’s plan, assuming the plan allows and you are satisfied with the investment options. You will continue to be subject to the plan’s rules regarding investment choices, distribution options, and loan availability.

Keeping assets in the plan features:

Investments keep their tax-advantaged growth potential
You retain the ability to leave your savings in their current investments
You may avoid the 10% IRS early distribution penalty on withdrawals from the plan if you leave the company in the year you turn 55 or older (age 50 or older for certain public safety employees)
Generally, have bankruptcy and creditor protection
Favorable tax treatment may be available for appreciated employer securities owned in the plan

Move savings to your new employer’s plan

If you’re joining a new company, moving your retirement savings to your new employer’s plan may make sense. This may be appropriate if:

You want to keep your retirement savings in one account
You’re satisfied with the investment choices offered by your new employer’s plan

This alternative shares many of the same advantages and considerations of leaving your money with your former employer. In addition, there may be a waiting period for enrolling in your new employer’s plan. Investment options are chosen by the QRP sponsor and you must choose from those options.

Withdraw or “distribute” the money

Carefully consider all of the financial consequences before cashing out. The impact will vary depending on your age and tax situation. Distributions prior to age 59 1/2 may be subject to both ordinary income taxes and a 10% IRS tax penalty. If you must access the money, consider withdrawing only what you need until you can find other sources of cash.

Features

You have immediate access to your retirement savings and can use however you wish.
Although distributions from the plan are subject to ordinary income taxes, penalty-free distributions can be taken if you turn:

Age 55 or older in the year you leave your company.
Age 50 or older in the year you stop working as a public safety employee (certain local, state or federal) — such as a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, or air traffic controller — and are taking distributions from a governmental defined benefit pension or governmental defined contribution plan. Check with the plan administrator to see if you are eligible.

If you own employer securities, a distribution may qualify for the favorable tax treatment of NUA.

Keep in mind

Your former employer is required to withhold 20% of your distribution for federal taxes.
Distribution may be subject to federal, state and local taxes unless rolled over to an IRA or another employer plan within 60 days.
Your investments lose their tax-advantaged growth potential.
Your retirement may be delayed, or the amount you’ll have to live on later may be reduced.
Depending on your financial situation, you may be able to access a portion of your funds while keeping the remainder saved in a retirement account. This can help lower your tax liability while continuing to help you save for your retirement. Ask your plan administrator if partial distributions are allowed.
If you leave your company before the year you turn 55 (or age 50 for public service employees), you may owe a 10% IRS tax penalty on the distribution.

What to consider if you own company stock

Net unrealized appreciation (NUA) is defined as the difference between the value at distribution of the employer security in your plan and the stock’s cost basis. The cost basis is the original purchase price paid within the plan. Assuming the security has increased in value, the difference is NUA. NUA of employer securities received as part of an eligible lump-sum distribution from an employer retirement plan qualifies for special tax treatment. In most cases, NUA will be available only for lump-sum distributions — partial distributions do not qualify.

We can help educate you so you can decide which option makes the most sense for your specific situation.

Next steps

Learn about your choices before taking a distribution
Pay special attention to taxes, penalties and fees associated with each action
Contact us or your tax professional if you have questions about how to proceed

When considering rolling over assets from an employer plan to an IRA, factors that should be considered and compared between the employer plan and the IRA include fees and expenses, services offered, investment options, when penalty free distributions are available, treatment of employer stock, when required minimum distributions begin, protection of assets from creditors, and bankruptcy. Investing and maintaining assets in an IRA will generally involve higher costs than those associated with employer-sponsored retirement plans. You should consult with the plan administrator and a professional tax advisor before making any decisions regarding your retirement assets. Withdrawals are subject to ordinary income tax and may be subject to a federal 10% penalty if taken prior to age 59 1/2.

Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax and legal advisors to determine how this information may impact your own situation.