Retirement Plan Options When Leaving an Employer

Keeping your money working harder for you may be easier than you might think

Browse Options & Pros vs. Cons

This may be an option, depending on your former employer’s retirement plan; check with the plan administrator.

Pros:

  • Consistency (investment choices may remain the same. You may also consider different investment alternatives within the plan)
  • Maintain tax-deferral of your investment
  • No immediate withdrawal penalties[1]
  • No immediate income tax obligations[1]
  • Ability to move money to a rollover IRA or to a new employer’s retirement plan at a later date

Cons:

  • Dependent upon former employer permitting money to remain there
  • May need a minimum $5,000 balance to be eligible
  • Limited investment options
  • Limited access to your money
  • Inability to make additional contributions
  • Loans are not permitted
  • Required Minimum Distributions are triggered by your attainment of age 73, up from 72 (the RMD age as of 2019)

Assets can be rolled into an IRA at any financial institution, and can continue to be invested tax-deferred.

Learn more about rollovers at PNC Investments

Pros:

  • No immediate income tax obligations, no withdrawal penalties with a direct rollover[1]
  • Maintain tax-deferral of your investment
  • Potentially larger selection of investment options, and full control over investment choices
  • Consolidating retirement assets can make them easier to track
  • Potential to convert rollover IRA to Roth IRA
  • Potential to rollover money to a new employer’s retirement plan at a later date (unless money is combined with other IRA assets)

Cons:

  • IRAs do not permit loans
  • Required Minimum Distributions are triggered by your attainment of age 73, up from 72 (the RMD age as of 2019, non-Roth IRAs)
  • Risk of higher costs

IRA Selection Tool

Need help choosing an appropriate IRA for you? Use this tool to find out what kind of IRAs you may be eligible for, and compare the pros and cons of each type.

This may be an option, depending on your new employer’s retirement plan; check with the plan administrator.

Pros:

  • Ability to consolidate retirement assets from more than one plan, and build assets through continued contributions
  • Maintain tax-deferral of your investment
  • No immediate withdrawal penalties[1]
  • No immediate income tax obligations[1]
  • Potential for larger selection of investment options
  • Potential to take loans (if plan permits)

Cons:

  • Risk of fewer investment options
  • Risk of limited access to your money
  • Required Minimum Distributions are triggered by your attainment of age 73, up from 72 (the RMD age as of 2019) (unless you are still working for the sponsoring employer and your plan allows RMDs to commence at retirement, if later)

Depending on your age and account balance, taxes and penalties may deplete a large component of your savings.

Pros:

  • Money is available immediately
  • No early withdrawal penalty IF you’re age 59½ or older

Cons:

  • Substantial amount of account balance is consumed by income taxes (and penalties, if you’re younger than age 59½)
  • Risk of not having enough money when you need it in retirement
  • No more tax-deferral of your investment
  • Distribution (i.e. additional income) could push you into a higher tax bracket for the year in which the money is withdrawn

Video: Understanding Rollover IRAs

Understanding Rollover IRAs

Explore options for what to do with your 401(k) when leaving an employer.

Associated Products & Services

The following information may be provided by PNC Investments affiliates, including PNC Bank, PNC Private BankSM PNC Institutional Asset Management®

Traditional IRAs

With a Traditional IRA, you can benefit from possible tax-deductible contributions and earnings that accumulate tax-deferred.

Roth IRA

If you meet certain income qualifications, you can use a Roth IRA to invest towards your retirement with tax-free earnings, with potential tax-free withdrawals in retirement.

Capital Directions®

Capital Directions®, a unified managed account program, was designed for clients who prefer to consolidate and manage investments in an efficient, single account structure.

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TOOL

PNC Retirement Calculator

Use this calculator to get a sense of how much you'll need to live in retirement, how your current savings stack up, and if you need to start investing more for retirement.

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