401k Gold IRA Rollover

A gold IRA (individual retirement account) is a tax-advantaged retirement account and an investment vehicle. There are many benefits of having a gold IRA and we will go over the best gold IRA companies so you can decide which company is the best for you.

Our process for rating these companies are customer reviews, fees, price of gold, and customer service experience.

At a Glance Rating

Top 4 Gold IRA Rollover Companies Comparison Chart

AUGUSTA PRECIOUS METALS

GOLDCO

AMERICAN HARTFORD GOLD GROUP

BIRCH GOLD GROUP

Top 4 Gold IRA Rollover Companies Comparison Chart

PRICING

Best 401k to Gold IRA Rollover Companies Reviews

There are many precious metals IRA companies out there to invest with, so to narrow down your search a little bit, here are the top 5 best 401k to gold IRA companies:

#1  Augusta Precious Metals

#2 Goldco

#3  American Hartford Gold

#4 Birch Gold Group

What is a 401k Gold IRA Rollover?

A 401k Gold IRA Rollover is when you change your retirement account to a gold-backed IRA. This means that the money in your 401k will not be invested into stocks or bonds, but instead into physical gold bars and coins. Basically, this allows investors to hedge their investments by holding onto potential gains from rising precious metals prices while still maintaining the potential for growth in more traditional stocks.

It is called a rollover If you’re moving funds from a 401k account to a new Self-Directed Gold IRA. A 401k rollover is permitted when you leave a job or retire. If you are over 59.5 years old and still work for the company that created your 401 (K), speak with your plan administrator about an in-service distribution if eligible for one so that they can do partial gold IRAs Rollovers.

Indirect Rollover

Indirect rollovers are more difficult and usually less desirable. In an indirect rollover, your 401k provider sends you a check with the money that you put into your personal bank account. You then have 60 days to re-deposit those funds into your new IRA. If you’re under 59½ years of age, you’ll also incur a penalty of ten percent.

Direct Rollover

A direct gold IRA rollover is much easier to do. Your 401k provider will Issue a check to the new custodian. The money is then mailed to you or sent directly to the new custodian of your choice.

Most 401k providers can start your gold IRA rollover over the phone. Government-sponsored retirement plans have their own internal documents that you need to fill out. When you are doing the full rollover, it takes 2-6 weeks.

How Does it Work?

A 401k account is like a savings account that you put a part of your salary in before taxes are taken out. It is an important thing for almost every job to have because it helps people save money. Some employers will even give some money back to the employee if the employer likes them and wants more employees like them.

A 401k is a retirement account that your employer can give to you. It lets you save money in the account from your paycheck before taxes. You can choose what type of things to invest in like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

401k plans are a way for employers to help employees save for retirement. Each time you get paid, an amount that you chose is taken from your paycheck and put into the 401k account. The money in these accounts is usually invested in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds (a type of investment). The employee can choose which investments they want.

Your 401k plan may be tax-free, and your employer might give you a matching contribution. If your plan has these benefits, experts recommend that you contribute the maximum amount every year or as close to it as you can afford.

When you retire, the money in a 401k account can be used to help pay for your expenses like medical bills or mortgage payments when they come due. It is also important because people usually do not have enough money saved up on their own and this way it helps make sure that there will be some leftover at retirement time.

What are the Benefits of a 401k

401 tax benefits are hard to dispute. They offer people financial security, including:

401k Employer Match

Recent research has found that opting for employer-sponsored 401k matches and profit-sharing plans can be a great way to grow your retirement savings because employers are essentially giving you free money.

Your employer will match up to 50% of the first 6% you put in your 401k. If, for example, you earn $48,000 a year, 6% of that is $2,880 and your employer will match that give an extra $1,440.

Some employers will match your contributions to a retirement plan. That means that they will put in the same amount of money as you do for up to 6% of what you contribute. This would be another $2,880 for this example.

401k Tax Breaks

The 401k tax advantages begin with the fact that you make contributions on a pre-tax basis. That you can deduct your contributions to the 401k in the year of contribution, which lowers taxable income for that year.

To add to the benefit, your 401k earnings accumulate without taxation. When you roll over your 401k, the dividends and capital gains inside are not subject to taxes until the withdrawals begin.

If you’ll be in a lower tax bracket for retirement than when you make the contributions, then rollover can provide an advantage.

401k Shelter From Creditors

If you have money, it is good to put it in places that creditors can’t get to. You can protect your money in a 401k account because they are set up under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). That is good because ERISA accounts are generally protected from judgment creditors.

The fact that 401k plans legally belong to your employer, rather than you, makes it difficult for the IRS to place a lien on the account. Documents in your 401k account, your plan administrators may be able to refuse to follow an IRS lien.

Advantages of Moving 401k To Gold IRA

The best reason to make your 401k an IRA is because you can control it more. These are some of the things you can control in an IRA.

Ability to Pick a Trustee

The best thing about an IRA is you can pick the investment platform to use. Customer care is always available 24 hours a day. It has many helpful aids for helping you learn about investing. You can find companies with offices near you too.

Make Your Own Investment Decisions

Many people like the fact that they can make their own investment decisions. You do not have to worry about being told what you should buy or sell and when.

You can only buy certain things in a 401k. An IRA has more choices for investing. You have a range of investments to choose from for your 401k, including money-market funds, bonds, stocks, options and precious metals.

Fees Control

You might be afraid of paying fees, but they are not as bad as you think. The majority of brokers do not charge any fees. This means that you do not need to worry about these costs. Robo-advisers can manage your investments for a reasonable rate, which will make it easy to invest in your future without worrying about fees.

Fund’s Access

A 401k is an account that you cannot access until the age of 59. Generally, you should not take money or withdraw funds from your retirement account before you are required to. However, IRAs are typically better for this than 401ks or any other workplace retirement plan.

Roth IRA Option

Some people may want to change their 401k into gold in the form of a Roth IRA. This type of IRA allows you to take money out without taxes. Roth 401ks do not have required minimum distributions after reaching the age of 70 and a half. Some jobs have Roth 401ks, but it is not the norm.

Disadvantages of Rollover 401k to Gold IRA

There are some negative things about rolling your 401k into an IRA.

No Separation From Service Exemption

If you need the money, it’s easier to take out of your 401k than an IRA. Most people are not allowed to withdraw from their 401k before they are 59-and-a-half years old. But if you have one, then you can take money out of it without any problems. 401k allows exceptions on early withdrawals without a 10 percent penalty if one has left employment. But IRAs don’t have such an exception, but they do offer other features that make them competitive to 401ks in other situations.

More Law Protections with 401ks

In general, 401ks are regulated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This is a law that provides greater protections for employees related to their retirement savings than IRAs, and it also offers more stability in terms of what happens if an under-performing company goes bankrupt or becomes insolvent. This means that your money in these accounts will not be at risk if a person brings you to court.

Still, IRAs have some protection. It is worth saving money in one. You can put as much as $1,362,800 in your IRA and it won’t be touched during bankruptcy cases. Many states also have laws that say creditors cannot go after IRAs.

Ease of Merging with a New Job Plan

It’s a bit more complicated to merge plans when the old plan is an IRA, but it can be done.

How to Rollover Your 401k into A Gold IRA

Are you interested in transferring your 401k account to a gold IRA rollover? Here are some basic steps:

Pick A Gold IRA Custodian

A self-directed account in an individual retirement arrangement (IRA) allows investors to buy exclusive investments that meet the rules of the Internal Revenue Service, including gold and silver. In order to purchase precious metals for your IRA, talk to a custodian and open an account that includes items that can be stored on the premises. Remember–under IRS rules, you aren’t allowed personal possession of physical gold in their retirement account.

Roll Over Eligible Funds

Once you have your paperwork from the custodian, it’s time to submit it. Simply contact your 401k administrator and let them know that you will be rolling over your eligible funds to a self-directed IRA.

A financial company will send you paperwork to fill out. You need to put funds in your account. If you get the money, it is very important that within 60 days after getting the money, to put it in your self-directed IRA. The IRS will still think it is a tax-free rollover if you move your money from one account to another within 60 days.

Purchase Gold & Precious Metals with Your Gold IRA

If you have money in your self-directed account, you can buy gold and silver. Gold should be at least 99.5% pure and be in the form of bars or IRS-approved coins like the Gold American Eagle.

Get in touch with your precious metal dealer and tell them you want to buy the bullion for your self-directed IRA. Then, tell your custodian to pay the dealer from the money in your IRA.

Arrange Shipment to an Approved Depository

After you decide on a purchase and have it priced, the dealer will give your IRA custodian the money. Once they get the money, they will ship your gold to their storage facility. Confirm with the dealer and your custodian that the items have been delivered. Ask for a receipt to keep track of your purchases.

Regularly Check Account Statements on Your Holdings

After your gold IRA is rolled over and you buy some things, then you can check in with your custodian to see how much you have. When you invest money, you want to know when it is a good time to buy more or sell some. This way, you can always be in the best position.

Final Thoughts – 401k Gold IRA Rollover

Rolling over your 401K into a Gold IRA can be an exciting but daunting process. The decision is not easy and there are advantages as well as disadvantages to consider, which makes it even more difficult. Ultimately the choice must come from you, so do some research on this topic before making any final decisions that will last for years to come. Your future self deserves only the best.