Guide · Rollovers
What to do with a 401(k) from a former employer
When you leave a job, you generally have four choices for the 401(k) you leave behind. Here is how each one works and what to compare.
5 min read
Topic
Rollovers & old accounts
What happens to a retirement account after you leave a job, and how moving it works.
9 articles
Guide · Rollovers
How a 401(k) rollover works, step by step
Direct and indirect rollovers, the 60-day rule and 20% withholding explained in plain English, with the steps in order.
6 min read
Guide · Rollovers
What 401(k) fees really cost
The kinds of fees inside a 401(k) or IRA, where to find them, and why a small percentage can add up over many years.
5 min read
Guide · Rollovers
Common 401(k) rollover mistakes
Seven avoidable errors people make when moving an old 401(k), from checks made out to the wrong payee to money left sitting in cash.
5 min read
Rollovers & old accounts
403(b), 457(b) and TSP accounts: how rollovers differ
How rollovers from 403(b) plans, governmental and non-governmental 457(b) plans and the federal Thrift Savings Plan differ from a standard 401(k) rollover.
5 min read
Rollovers & old accounts
Company stock in a 401(k): the net unrealized appreciation rule in brief
What net unrealized appreciation (NUA) is, when employer stock in a 401(k) qualifies, how the tax works with an example, and the tradeoffs involved.
5 min read
Rollovers & old accounts
How to find a 401(k) you lost track of
Practical steps for tracking down an old 401(k): former employers, the Labor Department's Lost and Found database, PBGC, and state unclaimed property.
5 min read
Rollovers & old accounts
Rolling an old 401(k) into a new employer's plan
What to know about moving an old 401(k) into a new employer's plan: whether the plan accepts rollovers, how it compares with an IRA, and the steps involved.
4 min read
Rollovers & old accounts
What happens to Roth 401(k) money in a rollover
Where Roth 401(k) money can go in a rollover, why a direct rollover matters, and how the five-year clock works for a Roth IRA versus a new employer's plan.
5 min read