A 401(k) loan does not affect your credit score or debt-to-income ratio, since you are borrowing against your retirement money. A 401(k) loan is not technically a debt, and it is not considered when calculating your debt-to-income ratio.
If your employer provides a 401(k) retirement savings plan, it may choose to allow participants to borrow against their accounts — though not every plan will let you do so. Borrowing from your own 401(k) doesn't require a credit check, so it shouldn't affect your credit.
In most cases, it's a good idea to take a 401(k) loan to pay off debt because it's the lowest-cost lending option you'll find, and you can typically use it to pay off debt fast. Just don't do it during a bull market or if you think you'll lose your job soon.
A 401(k) loan has some key disadvantages, however. While you'll pay yourself back, one major drawback is you're still removing money from your retirement account that is growing tax-free. And the less money in your plan, the less money that grows over time.
If you use a 401(k) loan to pay off debts and still remain in financial trouble, you have spent protected savings that could have been your safety net. At the end of the day, it is a smarter financial decision to file for bankruptcy with your retirement savings safe in the bank than using those funds to pay down debts.
401(k) withdrawals are usually worse than loans, but in the current climate, they're actually the better choice for most people. You have to start paying taxes on your distributions this year, but you can spread the tax liability out over three years, and you have the option to put back what you borrowed.
Many borrowers use money from their 401(k) to pay off credit cards, car loans and other high-interest consumer loans. On paper, this is a good decision. The 401(k) loan has no interest, while the consumer loan has a relatively high one. Paying them off with a lump sum saves interest and financing charges.
Can You Use a 401(k) to Buy a House? The short answer is yes, since it is your money. While there are no restrictions against using the funds in your account for anything you want, withdrawing funds from a 401(k) before the age of 59 1/2 will incur a 10% early withdrawal penalty, as well as taxes.
The mortgage lender uses the 401(k) loan to determine the value of your 401(k) assets and your current debt obligations. Most lenders do not consider a 401(k) when calculating your debt-to-income ratio, hence the 401(k) loan may not affect your approval for a mortgage loan.
Usually, a 401(k) loan has more favorable terms than a regular bank loan, and it is a good alternative if you do not want to withdraw your retirement money. If you are currently paying off a 401(k) loan, you can choose to pay off the outstanding loan balance earlier than the allowed loan term.
401(k) loans are not reported on your federal tax return unless you default on your loan, at which point it will become a “distribution” and be subject to the rules of early withdrawal. Distributions taken from your 401(k) before age 59 1/2 are taxed as ordinary income and subject to a 10% penalty for early withdrawal.
Interest Rates
The rate is usually a point or two above the prime rate. Right now, the prime rate sits at 5.5%, so your 401(k) loan rate will come out between 6.5% and 7.5%. The interest rate is the same regardless of your credit score, which is one reason why so many people find 401(k) loans tempting.
Any money borrowed from a 401(k) account is tax-exempt, as long as you pay back the loan on time. And you're paying the interest to yourself, not to a bank. You do not have to claim a 401(k) loan on your tax return.
401(k) and IRA Withdrawals for COVID Reasons
Section 2022 of the CARES Act allows people to take up to $100,000 out of a retirement plan without incurring the 10% penalty. This includes both workplace plans, like a 401(k) or 403(b), and individual plans, like an IRA.
As a dentist, if you have a 401(k) plan at your practice and need some cash, you might be tempted to borrow or withdraw money from it. But keep in mind that the purpose of a 401(k) is to save for retirement. Take money out of it now, and you'll risk running out of money during retirement.
The advantages of 401(k) loans include tax-deferred interest and competitive interest rates that are typically lower than other loans. A default on a 401(k) loan typically does not have the same impact on your credit as a default on a traditional loan.
Myth 3: You'll pay taxes twice.
However, that statement greatly exaggerates the tax costs of taking a 401(k) loan; the only money "taxed twice" in the transaction is the interest paid. Meanwhile, the 401(k) borrower is able to take the loan, consisting of money that has never been taxed, without tax consequences.
You must pay back your loan within five years. You can do so via automatic payroll deductions, the same way you fund your 401(k) in the first place. There is no penalty for paying off the loan sooner than that. You must pay interest on the loan, at a rate specified by your 401(k) fund administrator.
But where does the 401(k) loan interest go? Fortunately, when you repay your 401(k) loan, the interest goes back into your 401(k) account. Rather than being lost to a bank, you keep the interest you pay on your 401(k) loan to build until you retire.
Wait to Withdraw Until You're at Least 59.5 Years Old
By age 59.5 (and in some cases, age 55), you will be eligible to begin withdrawing money from your 401(k) without having to pay a penalty tax. You'll simply need to contact your plan administrator or log into your account online and request a withdrawal.
The IRS generally requires automatic withholding of 20% of a 401(k) early withdrawal for taxes. So if you withdraw the $10,000 in your 401(k) at age 40, you may get only about $8,000. The IRS will penalize you.
While there are no laws that specifically prohibit borrowing from a retirement account to buy a car, there are financial ramifications to such a decision. There may be fees associated with the loan, as well as tax consequences for borrowing from a pension, IRA or 401(k) account.
RULE 4: 401(K) BORROWING LIMIT DOUBLED
Employees with 401(k) plans that allow loans can borrow twice as much as they could previously. This means they can borrow against $100,000 or 100% of their account balance, whichever is less. That's twice the old limit of the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of your balance.
But, if you took the money out because of COVID-19, you don't have to pay tax on all of it this year. Instead you can spread it out evenly over 3 years. For example, if you took out $9,000 because of COVID-19 in 2020, you could report $3,000 in income on your federal income tax return for each of 2020, 2021, and 2022.