If you turn 55 (or older) during the calendar year you lose or leave your job, you can begin taking distributions from your 401(k) without paying the early withdrawal penalty. However, you must still pay taxes on your withdrawals.
*Distributions from your QRP are taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to an IRS 10% additional tax if taken prior to age 59 1/2. You avoid the IRS 10% additional tax, if you left your employer in the year you turned age 55 or older (age 50 for certain public safety employees).
Many people assume their retirement money is off limits until they reach age 59½. But a special rule in most 401(k) plans allows penalty-free withdrawals from age 55 – 59½ — but only if you leave your job after your 55th birthday.
As a general rule, if you withdraw funds before age 59 ½, you'll trigger an IRS tax penalty of 10%. The good news is that there's a way to take your distributions a few years early without incurring this penalty. This is known as the rule of 55.
“As a general rule, dipping into your retirement funds to cover a short-term need could end up costing you more in the long run,” says Walker. “If it's possible, I'd encourage you to consider other ways to access cash that could be more beneficial to your long- and short-term financial goals.”
Deferring Social Security payments, rolling over old 401(k)s, setting up IRAs to avoid the mandatory 20% federal income tax, and keeping your capital gains taxes low are among the best strategies for reducing taxes on your 401(k) withdrawal.
However, you unfortunately cannot begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits at 55. The earliest age you can begin drawing Social Security retirement benefits is 62. But there's a catch – taking Social Security benefits prior to reaching your full retirement age results in a reduction of your benefit amount.
The short answer is that yes, you can withdraw money from your 401(k) before age 59 ½. However, early withdrawals often come with hefty penalties and tax consequences.
By age 40, you should have three times your annual salary already saved. By age 50, you should have six times your salary in an account. By age 60, you should have eight times your salary working for you. By age 67, your total savings total goal is 10 times the amount of your current annual salary.
The $1,000 per month rule is designed to help you estimate the amount of savings required to generate a steady monthly income during retirement. According to this rule, for every $240,000 you save, you can withdraw $1,000 per month if you stick to a 5% annual withdrawal rate.
The rule of 55 is a loophole that allows for early withdrawals from workplace retirement accounts. You must be 55 or older in the year you leave your job (for any reason) to qualify for early withdrawals from a 401(k) or 403(b).
A 401(k) loan lets you borrow from your retirement savings without the penalty, but you must repay it within five years with interest. You can withdraw from your 401(k) to pay off debt, but income tax and the 10% penalty may apply.
Since Jan. 1, 2024, however, a new IRS rule allows retirement plan owners to withdraw up to $1,000 for unspecified personal or family emergency expenses, penalty-free, if their plan allows.
The rule of 55 is an IRS provision that allows workers who leave their job for any reason to start taking penalty-free distributions from their current employer's retirement plan in or after the year they reach age 55.
Retiring with little to no money saved is not impossible, but it can present some challenges to your financial plan. Depending on where you're starting from, you may need to delay Social Security benefits, work longer, or drastically reduce expenses to retire with no money saved.
The easiest way to borrow from your 401(k) without owing any taxes is to roll over the funds into a new retirement account. You may do this when, for instance, you leave a job and are moving funds from your former employer's 401(k) plan into one sponsored by your new employer.
Roll over your 401(k) to a Roth IRA
You can roll Roth 401(k) contributions and earnings directly into a Roth IRA tax-free. Any additional contributions and earnings can grow tax-free. You are not required to take RMDs. You may have more investment choices than what was available in your former employer's 401(k).
But, no, you don't pay income tax twice on 401(k) withdrawals. With the 20% withholding on your distribution, you're essentially paying part of your taxes upfront. Depending on your tax situation, the amount withheld might not be enough to cover your full tax liability.
You'll pay penalties and taxes for using retirement savings to pay off debt. Every retirement account—a traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and 401(k)—has age distribution limits. That means some combination of penalties and taxes may hit you for early withdrawals.
401k Withdrawal Rules
The general rules governing a 401k allow you to make penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts only after reaching the age of 59 ½. Beyond that, an IRS rule mandates required minimum distributions (RMD) that begin after the age of 73.
Withdrawals from 401(k)s are considered income and are generally subject to income taxes because contributions and gains were tax-deferred, rather than tax-free. Still, by knowing the rules and applying withdrawal strategies, you can access your savings without fear.