fpPathfinder

Helping Diligent Advisors Ensure They're On The Right Planning Path

Already a Member? Login
Need Help?
Refer Friends
GUIDES
All Guides
Categories
General
Cashflow Important Dates & Numbers Recurring New Client Family-Related Service Calendar Debts Caring Loved Ones Divorce Planning College Planning / Funding Deliverable Age-Related Planning 20s-30s Age-Related Planning 40s-50s Age-Related Planning 60s Age-Related Planning 70s
Working / Accumulation Phase
Employee Benefits-related Planning Issues Business Owners Saving For Retirement Stock Options
Retirement / Decumulation
Social Security Healthcare Distributions Misc. Charitable Giving
Tax Planning
Business Owners Review Tax-related Documents Misc Sale of Asset Deductions & Credits Important Tax Concepts & Numbers Taxable Distributions
Insurance Planning
Medicare Property Annuities Life Insurance Long-Term Care Insurance Health Insurance
Estate Planning
Chartible Giving Inheritance Loss of Loved One Step Up Estate Planning Documents
Assets and Investment Planning
HSAs IRAs Annuities House and Home Investments Stock Options
Life Events
Child-Related Job-Related Death Marriage Divorce Sudden Wealth Event Moving/Home-Related Starting Or Selling A Business Starting Social Security Unique Life Event/Other Starting Retirement Medicare-Related Starting RMDs
One-Click Downloads
Full List Of Guides
Guide Recommendation Tool
Guide Recommendation Tool
Go Back
Category:
Assets and Investment Planning
Updated

Should I Roll Over My Dormant Traditional 401(k)?

Updated 09/01/2024

**This guide has been updated to incorporate new changes made by The SECURE Act 2.0 that are effective for the 2024 year. Any SECURE Act 2.0 changes that are effective for 2025 will be incorporated into this guide at the start of the 2025 year.

401(k)s and IRAs have many unique features that may be beneficial to your client, depending on their circumstances. The decision to roll funds out of a former employer’s plan involves more factors than just fees and investment selection.

To help make this analysis easier, we have created the “Should I Roll Over My Dormant Traditional 401(k)?” flowchart. It addresses some of the most common issues that should be considered before doing a rollover, including:

  • Common IRA and 401(k) features and differences
  • Net Unrealized Appreciation options
  • Age-based distribution options
  • Taxes and penalties in an IRA versus a 401(k)
  • Availability/existence of loans and the impact of a rollover
  • Hardship Withdrawals
  • Substantially Equal Periodic Payments
Related Guides
Can I Make A Deductible IRA Contribution?
Category: Working / Accumulation Phase, Tax Planning, Assets and Investment Planning, General
Can I Make A Mega Backdoor Roth Contribution?
Category: Working / Accumulation Phase, Tax Planning, Assets and Investment Planning
Can I Do A Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) Distribution?
Category: Working / Accumulation Phase, Tax Planning, Assets and Investment Planning
Can I Do A Qualified Charitable Distribution From My IRA?
Category: Working / Accumulation Phase, Retirement / Decumulation, Tax Planning, Estate Planning, Assets and Investment Planning, General
Should I Inherit My Deceased Spouse’s Traditional IRA?
Category: Retirement / Decumulation, Estate Planning, Assets and Investment Planning
Can I Avoid Taking My RMD After Reaching My Required Beginning Date (RBD)?
Category: Retirement / Decumulation, Tax Planning, Assets and Investment Planning, Life Events
Will A Distribution From My Traditional IRA Be Penalty-Free?
Category: Retirement / Decumulation, Tax Planning, Assets and Investment Planning
Can I Make A Backdoor Roth IRA Contribution?
Category: Working / Accumulation Phase, Assets and Investment Planning, General
Can I Contribute To My Roth IRA?
Category: Working / Accumulation Phase, Assets and Investment Planning
Should I Contribute To My Roth IRA Vs. My Traditional IRA?
Category: Working / Accumulation Phase, Tax Planning, Assets and Investment Planning, General
Should I Contribute To My Roth 401(k)?
Category: Working / Accumulation Phase, Assets and Investment Planning
What Will Have The Least Tax Impact: Harvesting Capital Gains Or Roth Conversions?
Category: Tax Planning, Assets and Investment Planning
How Must I Take Distributions From My Twice-Inherited Traditional IRA?
Category: Estate Planning, Assets and Investment Planning

Getting Your Referral Stats

What Customers Are Saying About Us

Hundreds of other advisors are actively using fpPathfinder. Read what those lovely people have to say about us.
“What you guys have created is pretty badass! I’ve used your material for both client meetings and prospective clients.”
— An advisor in California
“fpPathfinder has been critical in my execution of financial planning. They provide well thought resources for when clients face specific problems, and I use them over and over again.”
— Roger Whitney, CFP®️, CIMA®️, CPWA®️
“I just utilized one of the Roth flowcharts live on the phone with a client. It worked perfectly!”
— Rick, a financial advisor
“Your software and platform are awesome and super helpful to me and my clients”
— Clinton, an Advisor in New York
“I had my own internal set of workflows, but by piggybacking fpPathfinder, I've saved who knows how many hours. It's a great product and I'll be a subscriber for years.”
— An advisor in Texas
“I love the new "share a link" feature. This has made it much easier to send flowcharts and checklists to our clients. Thanks for the add!”
— An advisor in Texas
“This is one of my best subscriptions I pay for!”
— Sean, an advisor in California
Become a Member

Sign Up to Receive Updates

Join our mailing list to be updated as we release new flowcharts and checklists that might be of interest.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Close