Tag Archive for: Roth 401(k)

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Roth IRAs v. Designated Roth 401(k)s

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“What are the differences between Roth IRAs and designated Roth 401(k) accounts?”

Highlights of discussion

While there are many differences, the following chart summarizes some of the key dissimilarities.

Feature Roth IRA Designated Roth 401(k) account
Investment options Generally, unlimited, except for life insurance and certain collectibles As specified by the plan
Eligibility for contribution  Must have earned income under $144,000 if a single tax filer or under $214,000 if married filing a joint tax return ·   Access to a 401(k), 403(b) or governmental 457(b) plan with a designated Roth contribution option and

·   The individual must meet eligibility requirements as specified by the plan
Contribution limit (2022) $6,000 ($7,000 if age 50 or older) $20,500 ($27,000 if age 50 or older)
Conversions Anyone with eligible IRA or employer-plan assets may convert them to a Roth IRA Plan permitting, anyone with eligible plan assets may convert them within the plan to a designated Roth account
Recharacterize contribution Yes, within prescribed period No
Required minimum distributions Not during owner’s lifetime Yes
Tax- and penalty-free qualified distributions, regardless of type of money Taken

·      After owning the Roth IRA for five years and

·      Age 59 ½, death, disability, or for first home purchase

 Must have a distribution–triggering event under plan terms, plus

·   Five years after owning the designated Roth account and

·   Age 59 ½, death, or disability
Tax and/or penalty on nonqualified distributions based on type of money According to IRS distribution ordering rules:

1.     Contributions: Always tax- and penalty-free

2.     Taxable Conversions: On a first-in, first-out basis by year; always tax-free; penalty if taken within five years of conversion

3.     Nontaxable conversions:  On a first-in, first-out basis by year; always tax- and penalty-free

4.     Earnings: Taxed as ordinary income, subject to penalty unless exception applies

 Withdrawals represent a pro-rata return of contributions and earnings in the account; earnings are taxable and subject to penalty unless an exception applies. See IRS Notice 2010-84 for rules applicable to the return of designated Roth 401(k) converted amounts
Timing of distributions At any time, subject to tax and/or penalty depending on type of assets distributed Following plan-defined, distribution triggering events
Loans No Yes, if plan permits
Five-year holding period for qualified distributions Begins January 1 of the year a contribution or conversion is made to any Roth IRA of the owner ·         Separate for each 401(k) plan in which an individual participates

·         Begins January 1 of the year a contribution or in-plan conversion is made to the account
 Beneficiary Anyone, but spousal consent required in community property states Anyone, but spousal consent required

 

Conclusion

While both Roth IRAs and designated Roth 401(k) plan contributions offer the potential for tax-free withdrawals, there are several key differences between the two arrangements. Whether one, the other or both may be right for a particular investor depends on the individual’s circumstances and goals and should be determined based on a thorough conversation between the investor and his or her tax advisor.

 

 

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Designated Roth Account Rollover and Five-Year Rule

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“My client participates in a 401(k) plan, has a Designated Roth account and wants to roll over the Designated Roth account to a Roth IRA. Can my client count the time in the 401(k) plan towards the five-year waiting period for the Roth IRA needed for taking qualified distributions?”

ERISA consultants at the Retirement Learning Center Resource Desk regularly receive calls from financial advisors on a broad array of technical topics related to IRAs, qualified retirement plans and other types of retirement savings and income plans, including nonqualified plans, stock options, and Social Security and Medicare. We bring Case of the Week to you to highlight the most relevant topics affecting your business.

A recent call with an advisor in Pennsylvania is representative of a common inquiry regarding Designated Roth contributions in a 401(k) plan.

Highlights of Discussion
The short answer is, surprisingly, “No.” If your client rolls over his or her 401(k) plan Designated Roth account assets to a Roth IRA, the time spent in the Designated Roth account will not carry over to the Roth IRA (IRS Treasury Regulation § 1.408A–10, Q&A 4).

That means, if your client established his or her first Roth IRA with the rollover of Designated Roth account assets, the five-year period for determining qualified distributions from the Roth IRA would begin that year. In essence, the five-year period for determining qualified distributions in the 401(k) plan is determined separately from the five-year period for determining qualified distributions in the Roth IRA.

It’s another one of those “earlier of” scenarios for the Roth IRA and the five-year period §1.408A–6, Q&A 2. The five-year period for the Roth IRA begins with the earlier of the taxable year in which

• The first Roth IRA contribution (or conversion) is made to any Roth IRA owned by the individual, or
• A rollover contribution of a Designated Roth account is made to a Roth IRA.

Conclusion
The five-year period for determining qualified distributions from a 401(k) plan Designated Roth account is determined separately from the five-year period for determining qualified distributions in a Roth IRA. For that reason, it may be advantageous for investors to make a Roth IRA contribution sooner rather than later in order to put the five-year clock in motion in the Roth IRA.

 

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Roth 401(k)s and the Five-Year Clock

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“Can you explain how the ‘five-year clock’ applies to Roth 401(k) contributions?”

ERISA consultants at the Retirement Learning Center (RLC) Resource Desk regularly receive calls from financial advisors on a broad array of technical topics related to IRAs, qualified retirement plans and other types of retirement savings and income plans, including nonqualified plans, stock options, and Social Security and Medicare. We bring Case of the Week to you to highlight the most relevant topics affecting your business.

A recent call with a financial advisor from New York is representative of a common inquiry related to designated Roth contributions in a 401(k) plan.

Highlights of the Discussion

Distributions of Roth 401(k) contributions (i.e., designated Roth contributions) can be taken tax and penalty free if the participant meets certain conditions for a “qualifying distribution.” A qualifying distribution is one that is made after a five-taxable-year period of participation (“the five-year clock”), and the participant has attained age 59 ½, has become disabled, or in the case of a beneficiary, following the participant’s death.

The five-year clock begins on the first day of the participant’s taxable year in which he or she first makes designated Roth contributions to the plan. If the first Roth contribution is a rollover of designated Roth contributions from another 401(k) plan, the starting of the five-year clock depends on whether the rollover is direct or indirect.

If the participant completes a direct rollover from a designated Roth account under another 401(k) plan, the five-year period is deemed to have begun on the first day of the taxable year that the employee made Roth 401(k) contributions to the other plan. In contrast, an indirect rollover contribution restarts the five-year clock under the receiving plan for a participant who has made no prior Roth 401(k) contributions to the receiving plan (Treasury Regulation 1.402A-1, Q&A 4).

Conclusion

Since the five-year clock for determining a tax-free, qualifying distribution of Roth 401(k) contributions begins on the first day of the participant’s taxable year in which he or she first makes a designated Roth contribution to the plan, it may be wise for a participant—if he or she has the option—to designate even $1 of elective contributions as a Roth 401(k) contribution right away in order to start the ticking of the five-year clock. And if a participant is rolling over Roth 401(k) contributions—a direct rollover is the only way to avoid restarting the five-year period.

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© Copyright 2024 Retirement Learning Center, all rights reserved