Can 457 Plans Be Rolled Over to an IRA?
Government employees typically have access to multiple retirement savings plans. In addition to 403(b) and 401(k) plans, they may also have the opportunity to access 457 plans as another means of savings for retirement.
Recent Ask GFC questions explored the possibility of rolling over a 457 rollover into an IRA. IRAs provide greater investment variety while not incurring early withdrawal penalties like many tax-sheltered retirement accounts do.
What is a 457 plan?
A 457 plan is a deferred compensation retirement savings plan available to state and local government employees as well as non-profit organizations. Similar to a 403(b), participants can contribute pre-tax (gross) wages up to an annual contribution limit.
As soon as a participant terminates employment, their account balance can be moved into an IRA or eligible retirement plans (such as 401(k) plans and IRAs). Should they choose an IRA as the destination, however, the IRS requires minimum distribution (RMD) rules will be applied accordingly.
Rolling over a 457 to an IRA provides greater investment options, but when making this decision, fees and commissions need to be carefully weighed against each option. Furthermore, it’s crucial that vesting and tax status be carefully taken into consideration prior to making a final decision.
Can I roll over my 457 plan to an IRA?
A 457 plan may be converted to tax-deferred retirement accounts such as traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and others through IRS rules on rollover. Withdrawals from an IRA typically offer more flexibility – for instance penalty-free withdrawals when used for first home purchases and education expenses.
IRAs typically provide more investment options than 457 and 403(b) plans, which can help you find investments that better align with your financial goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. Rolling over a 457 plan into an IRA also makes keeping track of total compensation simpler while possibly helping avoid early withdrawal penalties of 10% for funds taken before age 59 1/2 if applicable. It is crucial that you consult a financial advisor and tax-planning expert well ahead of your retirement date to make sure all applicable regulations are being abided upon so you take full advantage of available opportunities while avoiding penalties or any consequences from penalties or any consequences from penalties arising due to funds taken out early withdrawal penalties or any consequences from being taken out early!
Can I roll over my 457 plan to a 401(k) plan?
The 457(b) plan is a tax-deferred savings plan available to employees in public service or nonprofit organizations. Similar to 401(k), but exempt from ERISA regulations.
As with most financial transactions, rolling over a 457(b) into an IRA incurs fees. While they’re typically minimal, they could still eat away at your savings over time and require you to consolidate multiple accounts in one. These factors should all be taken into consideration before embarking on such a journey.
Rollover from 457(b) to IRA can provide many advantages, including greater flexibility and more investment choices, more convenient financial planning by consolidating accounts into one, and helping avoid early distribution penalties that apply when taking early distributions from 457(b) plans (such as 10% penalty); additionally IRAs don’t require RMDs until age 70 1/2.
Can I roll over my 457 plan to a Roth IRA?
457 plans offer employees similar tax-deferred investment products as 403(b) plans but allow for more pre-tax contributions from paychecks; when these funds are withdrawn at retirement they become subject to ordinary income taxes.
As is the case with 401(k) plans, 457 plans may allow their participants to rollover their account balances into any type of retirement account upon leaving employment or switching jobs – but there may be specific rules and tax considerations associated with this process.
One important consideration when moving funds from a 457 plan into a Roth IRA is whether or not to convert. If an investor anticipates their income will decline after retirement and conversion becomes more costly, switching into a traditional IRA may make more sense; this way they avoid incurring tax liability while still having the option to convert later if needed – providing investors with enough flexibility in terms of tax rates in retirement to balance between traditional IRA and 457 plans as necessary.
Categorised in: Blog