Information for Plan Participants
Featured Stories
Hardship Distributions: Tapping Into Retirement Savings, a Last Resort -- A 401k plan is a crucial part of retirement savings for many Americans. In times of financial emergencies, individuals may consider hardship distributions, which are early withdrawals permitted under certain conditions. While these distributions can provide immediate financial relief, they involve specific rules and tax implications that both plan sponsors and individuals need to be aware of before requesting a hardship withdrawal from their company 401k plan.
Rolling Over Your Roth 401k? Here are Four Must-Know Moves -- Should you keep your Roth 401k assets in a Roth 401k or move it to your Roth IRA? While rolling over a traditional 401k account has its quirks, rolling over a Roth 401k comes with a unique set of rules. This article highlights some key considerations to keep in mind when rolling over a Roth 401k.
401k Hardship Withdrawal Rules -- If you're experiencing financial hardship, you may be able to access your 401k funds, but doing so can impact your long-term financial future. Starting in 2025, updated rules offer more flexibility, including penalty-free withdrawals for emergencies and protections for domestic abuse victims. Some plans allow quicker access through self-certification, though not all employers provide these options. It's important to understand when hardship withdrawals are allowed, how they operate, and the recent changes.
Understanding the New Super Catch-Up 401k Rule: A Game Changer for Retirement Savings -- The Super Catch-Up 401k rule is a new legislative provision designed to help individuals aged 60 to 63 significantly boost their retirement savings by allowing them to contribute more to their 401k plans beyond the standard limits. This rule expands on the existing catch-up contributions available for those 50 and over. This is an overview of the new rule.
Resources
A chart of the 401k plan contribution limits for year 2019 through 2025.
A glossary retirement plan and investment terms available here.
This is a guide to retirement industry acronyms and abbreviations.
Here is a handy on-line 401k calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions that come to our pension experts.
What is a 401k plan?
The Beginner's Guide to 401ks
Does my employer have to provide a matching contribution?
How do I locate an old 401k that I think I contributed to at a former employer?
If I needed to get access to an old 401k, what are my options?
If a Company You Work for Goes Bankrupt, What Happens to Your 401k
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Managing Your 401k Plan Assets
We are not in the investment advice business, but these articles may give you some important insights. You should always consult with your financial advisor for more detailed information and advice.
A Look at 401k Plan Fees
Asset Allocation Made Simple
Behavioral Finance -- What's Behind Your Investing Decisions?
Company Stock In Your 401k -- Keep it Balanced
Investment Basics
Indexing Prevails in "Stock Picker's" Market
The Magic of Compounding
Ten Steps to Making a Financial Plan to Create a Secure Retirement
Making the Transition: A Pre-Retirement Checklist
The Value of Asset Allocation
Nurture Your 401k Portfolio Using Asset Allocation
Why Is Knowing the Investment Style of a Stock Mutual Fund Important?
Understanding Investment Risk
Some Useful Information
We have gathered a few articles and other information on important 401k issues that are often asked about.
Do Surviving Spouses Have a Right to a 401k or an IRA? - Summary: When choosing a beneficiary for a retirement plan, it is important to understand how your spouse will be treated under the plan. Surviving spouses are treated differently under 401ks and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). While a 401k provides protections for a surviving spouse, an IRA does not.
Top 10 Reasons to Join Your 401k Plan - Summary: Compared to other savings plans available to private sector workers, the 401k plan has many good points. Here are our top 10 reasons why you should join your plan.
Loans and Hardship Withdrawals
Articles on the various rules, regulations. practical issues and guidelines related to 401k loans and hardship withdrawals.
401k Retirement Plan Loans: An Overview
401k Hardship Withdrawals: An Overview
Hardship Withdrawals Give Access to 401k Savings, but at a Cost
Emergency Access to Your 401k: Hardship Withdrawals
Do's and Don't's of Hardship Distributions
Eight Reasons to Never Borrow From Your 401k
Don't Tap Your 401k to Pay Off Debt
Other Good Information on and About 401k's
How does a 401k plan work? When does my employer have to deposit my payroll contributions? How can I take an early withdrawals without penalty? Are there warning signs I should look for? What are my pension rights? We have gathered articles on these and other important issues so you can quickly find in depth information and analysis. And we regularly update and add to this content.
Click Here to review all the articles we have on a wide variety of topics.
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