401k Calculator & Guide
Compare a direct rollover with an indirect 60-day rollover, estimate potential withholding and see how much additional cash may be needed to roll over the full distribution.
Enter your account balance and select how you plan to move the money. The calculator separates direct-rollover treatment from payment-to-you withholding and potential taxable amounts.
Educational estimate based on simplified rollover assumptions. Actual eligibility and tax treatment depend on the distribution, plan and account type.
The two methods move retirement money differently. The most important distinction for this calculator is whether the distribution is paid directly to the receiving retirement account or first paid to you.
The old plan sends the eligible distribution directly to the receiving IRA or employer plan.
The distribution is paid to you and then deposited into an eligible retirement account within the applicable 60-day period.
A rollover moves eligible retirement assets from one retirement account to another without treating the properly rolled-over amount as a current taxable distribution.
Check your current 401(k) balance, distribution options, investment choices and plan procedures.
Possible destinations can include a traditional IRA or another eligible employer retirement plan.
A direct rollover sends eligible funds directly to the receiving retirement account.
Keep the rollover records and verify that the receiving account received the intended amount.
A rollover is not automatically taxable simply because retirement money changes accounts. The tax result depends on what is distributed, where it goes and how the transaction is completed.
A properly completed direct rollover of eligible pre-tax retirement funds to a traditional IRA or eligible employer plan generally does not create current income tax on the rolled-over amount.
When an eligible rollover distribution from a retirement plan is paid to you, 20% federal withholding generally applies. This is withholding, not necessarily your final tax liability.
Moving pre-tax 401(k) money to a Roth IRA generally creates taxable income for the amount converted, although the Roth account can have different tax treatment for future qualified distributions.
The receiving account must be eligible to accept the particular rollover. Not every employer plan is required to accept rollover contributions, so check with the receiving plan administrator.
| Destination | Common use | Tax consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional IRA | Move pre-tax retirement funds into an individual retirement account. | A properly completed rollover of eligible pre-tax funds is generally not currently taxable. |
| New Employer 401(k) | Consolidate an old workplace account into a new employer plan. | Depends on whether the new plan accepts the rollover and the type of assets being transferred. |
| Roth IRA | Convert eligible pre-tax retirement funds into a Roth IRA. | Pre-tax amounts converted to a Roth IRA are generally included in taxable income. |
| Another Eligible Retirement Plan | Transfer eligible retirement assets between qualifying plans. | Treatment depends on the source and destination account types. |
Imagine an eligible $100,000 401(k) distribution is paid directly to you instead of being sent directly to the receiving account.
The old plan makes an eligible rollover distribution payable to you.
At the general 20% mandatory withholding rate, $20,000 would be withheld from the distribution.
To roll the entire $100,000 into the new retirement account, you generally need to replace the $20,000 withholding from another source.
These are simplified educational summaries. The eligibility of a particular distribution should be confirmed before moving funds.
| Rule | General treatment |
|---|---|
| 60-day rollover | A distribution paid to you generally must be deposited into an eligible retirement account within 60 days. |
| Direct rollover | The plan can generally transfer an eligible distribution directly to another eligible plan or IRA. |
| 20% withholding | An eligible rollover distribution from a retirement plan paid to you generally has mandatory 20% federal withholding. |
| Required minimum distributions | RMD amounts generally cannot be rolled over. |
| Hardship distributions | Certain hardship distributions generally are not eligible for rollover. |
| Receiving plan | A retirement plan generally is not required to accept rollover contributions. |
Explore the different rollover scenarios before deciding how to handle an old workplace retirement account.
Use the rest of the calculator cluster to explore contributions, growth, matching, retirement income and withdrawal scenarios.
Common questions about moving an old 401(k) to another retirement account.
Compare the rollover method, destination and potential tax consequences before requesting a distribution from your old plan.
Clear guides, useful calculators and practical retirement resources to help you understand your 401(k), contributions, employer matching, Roth options, rollovers and long-term savings.
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