In general, a rollover is the movement of funds from one retirement savings vehicle to another. You may want, or need, to make a rollover for any number of reasons — your employment situation has changed, you want to switch investments, or you've received death benefits from your spouse's retirement plan. There are two possible ways that retirement funds can be rolled over — the indirect (60-day) rollover and the direct rollover (trustee-to-trustee transfer).

 

The indirect, or 60-day, rollover With this method, you actually receive a distribution from your retirement plan and then, to complete the rollover transaction, you make a deposit into the new retirement plan account or IRA. You can make a rollover at any age, but there are specific rules that must be followed. Most importantly, you must generally complete the rollover within 60 days of the date the funds are paid from the distributing plan. If properly completed, rollovers aren't subject to income tax. But if you fail to complete the rollover or miss the 60-day deadline, all or part of your distribution may be taxed, and subject to a 10% early distribution penalty (unless you're age 591⁄2 or anotherexception applies).

 

Further, if you receive a distribution from an employer retirement plan, your employer must withhold 20% of the payment for taxes. This means that if you want to roll over your entire distribution (and avoid taxes and possible penalties on the amount withheld), you'll need to come up with that extra 20% from other funds (you'll be able to recover the withheld taxes when you file your tax return).

The direct rollover, or trustee-to-trustee transfer The second type of rollover transaction occurs directly between the trustee or custodian of your old retirement plan, and the trustee or custodian of your new plan or IRA. It is often referred to as a direct rollover. You never actually receive the funds or have control of them, so a trustee-to-trustee transfer is not treated as a distribution. Trustee-to-trustee transfers avoid both the danger of missing the 60-day deadline and the 20% withholding problem.

 

If you stand to receive a distribution from your employer's plan that's eligible for rollover, your employer must give you the option of making a direct rollover to another employer plan or IRA. A direct rollover is generally the most efficient way to move retirement funds. Taking a distribution yourself and rolling it over may make sense only if you need to use the funds temporarily, and are certain you can roll over the full amount within 60 days.

Should you roll over money from an employer plan to an IRA?
In general, if your vested balance is more than $5,000 you can keep your money in an employer's plan at least until you reach the plan's normal retirement age (typically age 65). But if you terminate employment before then, should you keep your money in the plan (or roll it into your new employer's plan) or instead roll it over to an IRA?

There are several reasons to consider a rollover. In contrast to an employer plan, where investment options are typically limited to those selected by the employer, the universe of IRA investments is almost unlimited. Similarly, the distribution options in an IRA (especially for your beneficiary following your death) may be more flexible than the options available in your employer's plan.

On the other hand, your employer's plan may offer better creditor protection. In general, federal law protects your total IRA assets up to $1,283,025 (as ofApril 1, 2016) — plus any amount you roll over from a qualified employer plan or 403(b) plan — if you declare bankruptcy.* (The laws in your state may provide additional protection.) In contrast, assets in a qualified employer plan or 403(b) plan generally enjoy unlimited protection from creditors under federal law, regardless of whether you've declared bankruptcy.

Before finalizing any estate plan, it is worth examining how MASSMutual's employer-sponsored benefits fit into the broader picture. According to publicly available information, MASSMutual maintains an active defined benefit pension plan, which provides retirement income based on factors such as years of service and compensation history. MASSMutual does not appear to offer a formal retiree healthcare program, making healthcare coverage planning an important consideration if you retire before age 65. Because the specifics of your pension formula, vesting schedule, and benefit eligibility depend on your individual employment history and plan documents, We encourage you to review your Summary Plan Description (SPD) or speak with MASSMutual's HR or benefits team for the most current details.