Clear answers before you move money
401(k) Rollover Planning
Review your options in a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Clear answers before you move money
Review your options in a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Every rollover decision is a choice among the same four paths — leave the money where it is, move it to a new employer’s plan, roll it to an IRA, or take a distribution — and the differences are concrete: taxes, penalties, fees, creditor protection, and access rules. Three of the four choices are reversible. A mistimed distribution, a forfeited Rule of 55, or employer stock rolled into an IRA is not.
Our planning process puts your actual numbers against those rules before any paperwork is filed: what your plan charges (from its 404(a)(5) fee disclosure), what the receiving account would charge, which age and tax rules apply to you, and what each path costs now and later. The first conversation is no-cost with no obligation — and our free calculators let you run the core numbers yourself before we ever talk.
Six things to verify before any transfer is requested — each one has cost real people real money:
If you left (or will leave) your employer in or after the year you turn 55, that plan’s money is penalty-free right now — and an IRA rollover before 59½ permanently gives that up. Check your dates →
Appreciated company stock can qualify for Net Unrealized Appreciation treatment — growth taxed at capital-gains rates instead of ordinary rates. Rolling the shares into an IRA erases the option forever. Get tax advice before moving shares.
Leaving the employer generally makes the loan due. The unpaid balance becomes a taxable distribution — penalized under 59½ — unless you contribute it to an IRA by your tax-filing deadline, including extensions.
Your plan’s 404(a)(5) disclosure lists its true costs; ask any proposed IRA for its all-in number too. One percentage point compounds to roughly 28% of a balance over 35 years by the DOL’s own illustration. Compare fees →
A check made payable to you triggers 20% mandatory withholding and a 60-day redeposit deadline for the full gross amount. A custodian-to-custodian transfer has neither. See the deadline math →
After separation, balances under $1,000 can be cashed out automatically and $1,000–$7,000 can be force-rolled into a low-yield IRA the plan picks — unless you act first. Check your options →
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal & Utah tax on a direct rollover | $0 | Direct pre-tax-to-pre-tax rollovers are not taxable events |
| Our initial consultation | $0 | No cost, no obligation |
| Old plan’s one-time distribution fee | Varies | Listed in the plan’s fee schedule / 404(a)(5) disclosure — ask before you file |
| Opening a rollover IRA at major custodians | Usually $0 | Ongoing fund and any advisory fees are the numbers that matter — get them in writing |
Timeline: a typical direct rollover takes two to four weeks end to end — a day to open the receiving account, one to three weeks for the old administrator to process the transfer (some still require phone requests or notarized forms), and a final step people forget: the money usually arrives as cash and sits uninvested until you place it. Plan that last step in advance.
We focus on understanding your current plan and alternatives before discussing a transfer.
Retirement plan terminology can be confusing. We break the process into practical questions and understandable steps.
You can begin with a no-cost, no-obligation consultation without committing to a rollover.
Before moving an old 401(k), review the choices available to you in a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. Schedule your no-cost consultation →
Prefer to talk? Call 435-291-5444.
Request your no-cost consultation
Tell us how to reach you — we’ll follow up within one business day.
Bring a recent statement and any information you have about your former employer's distribution options.
We talk about why you are considering a rollover, your retirement timeline, and what you want the account to accomplish.
We review the practical differences between keeping the account, moving it to another employer plan, using an IRA, or taking another permitted action.
Before proceeding, we identify fees, tax considerations, and plan features that could affect the decision.
If you decide to move forward, we help you understand the rollover paperwork and transfer process involved.