Overlooking this 401(k) detail could cost you big during retirement

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A 401(k) plan doesn’t have an expense ratio, per se, but the overall cost of the plan includes the expense ratios of the funds in an investor’s account, as well as other charges like plan administration fees and the like.

So what is a good 401(k) expense ratio? Ideally, the lower the fees for the plan the better, including the expense ratios of the investments in the account, because fees can lower portfolio growth substantially over time.

While investors don’t have control over the basic costs of their 401(k) plan, they can opt to choose investments with lower expense ratios, e.g. under 0.50% if possible.

What Are Reasonable Fees for a 401(k)?

To determine the amount you’re paying for a 401(k) plan, divide the total plan cost (usually available on your 401(k) statement) by your total investment.

Expense ratios can vary among plans for a variety of reasons, including how the 401(k) account is managed, the administrative fees, the record-keeping costs, and so on. While investors don’t have any say over the built-in costs of the 401(k) plan — that’s set by the plan administrator and/or your employer — investors can manage their own investment costs.

Choosing Lower-Cost Funds

In passively managed funds (where a portfolio mirrors a market index like the S&P 500), the expense ratio is typically lower as compared to actively managed funds, which might charge between 0.5% and 1.0% or more. Actively managed funds have a fund manager who employs different buying and selling strategies. Generally, this is because more work is being done on the manager’s part in an active strategy vs. a passive strategy.

Note that active investing can refer to individual investors, but the philosophy of making trades to exceed market returns also drives actively managed funds.

Passive strategies generally have expense ratios under 0.50%. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) usually follow a passive strategy and can have expense ratios under 0.25%.

Why Fees Matter

Over time, just one or even half a percentage point could potentially make an impact on a retirement account. That impact could in turn mean the difference between retiring when planned, vs. working a few more years until the overall investment grows. A lower expense ratio could help an investor maximize their 401(k).

For example, a well-known Government Accountability Office analysis from 2006 found that someone who invests $20,000 every year for 20 years in a 401(k) plan that costs 1.5% per year to operate is likely to end up with 17% less than someone whose plan costs just 0.50%. The analysis concluded that after 20 years, that half a percentage point meant the difference of more than $10,000. Similar studies on the impact of fees have found similar results.

Until relatively recently 401(k) expense ratio information wasn’t public, and even now it can be somewhat difficult to locate.

How to Reduce Your Expense Ratio

Before an investor can attempt to reduce their expense ratio, they need to be familiar with what it is.

Until relatively recently 401(k) expense ratio information was not public, and even now it can be somewhat difficult to locate. In 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved an amendment requiring the disclosure of these fees and expenses in mutual fund performance and sales materials.

Today, there are a few ways to get the information — and take action:

  • Read the fine print. Look closely at 401(k) participant fee disclosure notices, which participants should receive at least annually with any plan. Or look for the current information in a funder’s prospectus on their website. Building on the 2007 amendment, the DOL introduced a rule in 2012 to improve transparency around the fees and expenses to workers in 401(k) retirement plans.
  • Ask outright. Investors seeking more information might also choose to call their fund’s client services number directly to get the most up-to-date information on plan costs. Investors who work with a financial advisor can also ask their advisor for this information, as well as their opinions on these expenses.
  • Evaluate your funds. It can also be helpful to look at the funds being offered by an employer, provider, or broker to see if there is a similar fund that comes with lower expenses. Investors may be able to find the investments they want at a cheaper price, even within their current 401(k) plan.

For investors whose 401(k) plan is not through a current full-time employer — a common situation when people change jobs — they may want to consider a rollover IRA in order to pay lower fees and gain access to a wider array of investments.

The Takeaway

There’s no magic number that indicates a 401(k) expense ratio is too high or just right, and all plans are different. But if you take into account the cost of your investments in addition to the plan itself, you shouldn’t be paying much more than about 1.0% to 1.50%, all in.

Under federal law, employers have a fiduciary duty to offer reasonably priced options and to monitor the quality of the 401(k) plan they offer. The more an investor knows about their current plan, the better equipped they are to make compelling arguments for how to improve their plan.

If you’re thinking about investing for retirement, or doing a rollover of an old 401(k), you may want to consider all your options. It’s easy to get started with SoFi invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), open an IRA or do a rollover, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commission, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here. PDF File), and members can access complimentary financial advice from a professional.

This article originally appeared on SoFi.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.


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Can I do anything to lower my sky-high 401(k) taxes?

Employer-sponsored retirement plans like a 401(k) are a common way for workers to save for retirement. A little more than half of employees participate in a retirement plan at work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So it’s important for participants to understand how 401(k) taxes work.

With a traditional 401(k) plan, employees can contribute a portion of their salary to an account with a range of investment options, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and cash.

Employers sometimes match part or all of these contributions. For instance, a company might match 50% of an employee’s contribution, up to 6% of the employee’s salary. For 2021, participants can contribute up to $19,500 to a 401(k) plan, plus $6,500 if they’re 50 or older. For 2022, the limit is $20,500, plus the additional $6,500 for those age 50 and up.

There are two main types of workplace 401(k) plans: a traditional 401(k) plan and a Roth 401(k). The rules on 401(k) taxes depend on which plan an employee participates in.

Related: Average savings by age

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When it comes to this tried-and-true retirement savings plan, here are key things to know about 401(k) taxes and 401(k) withdrawal tax.

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401(k) plan participants don’t pay taxes on contributions. Your contributions are made with pre-tax income. If you’re contributing to your company’s 401(k), each time you receive a paycheck, a predetermined (by you) portion is deposited into your 401(k) account, and the rest is taxed and paid to you.

Because the money comes out of your paycheck before taxes, your paycheck will decrease by less than your total contribution.

How this might look:

  • Your gross salary: $50,000
  • Pay schedule: Every two weeks
  • State/local tax rate: 6%
  •  Federal income tax rate: 22%

If you contribute 10% of your salary, $192 will be deducted from each paycheck (before taxes), but your take-home pay will decrease by only $138.

If you contribute 15% of your salary, $288 will be deducted from each paycheck (before taxes), but your take-home pay will decrease by only $208.

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The more you contribute to your 401(k) account, the lower your taxable income is in that year. If you contribute 15% of your income to your 401(k), for instance, you’ll only owe taxes on 85% of income.

How this might look:

  • Your gross salary: $50,000
  • State/local tax rate: 6%
  • Federal income tax rate: 22%

If you contribute 0% of your salary annually, you’ll pay taxes on the full $50,000.

If you contribute 10% of your salary annually, $5,000 will be deposited into your 401(k) account and you will be taxed on $45,000. Total tax savings: $1,400.

If you contribute 15% of your salary annually, $7,500 will be deposited into your 401(k) account and you will be taxed on $42,500. Total tax savings: $2,100.

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When you take withdrawals from your 401(k) account in retirement, you’ll be taxed on both your contributions and any earnings that have accrued over time.

The withdrawals count as taxable income, so during the years that you withdraw funds from your 401(k) account, you will owe taxes in your retirement income tax bracket.

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If you withdraw money from your 401(k) before age 59-and-a-half, you’ll owe both income taxes and a 10% tax penalty on the distribution.

Although IRAs allow penalty-free early withdrawals for qualified first-time homebuyers and for qualified higher education expenses, that is not true for 401(k) plans.

That said, if an employee leaves a company during or after the year in which they turn 55, they can start taking distributions from their 401(k) account without paying taxes or penalties.

Can you take out a loan or hardship withdrawal from your plan assets? Many plans do allow that, up to a certain amount, but withdrawing money from a retirement account means you lose out on the compound growth from funds withdrawn. You will also have to pay interest (yes, to yourself) on the loan.

Recommended: Borrowing From Your 401k: Pros and Cons

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Here are some tax rules about the newer retirement savings vehicle, the Roth 401(k).

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When it comes to taxes, a Roth 401(k) works in the opposite way of a traditional 401(k). Your contributions are post-tax, meaning you pay taxes on the money in the year in which you contribute it.

If you have a Roth 401(k) and your company offers a 401(k) match, that matching contribution will go into a pre-tax account, which would be a traditional 401(k) account.

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When you have Roth 401(k) contributions automatically deducted from your paycheck, your full paycheck amount will be taxed and then money will be transferred to your Roth 401(k).

For instance, if you’re making $50,000 and contributing 10% to a Roth 401(k), $5,000 will be deposited into your Roth 401(k) annually, but you’ll still be taxed on the full $50,000.

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When you take money from your Roth 401(k) in retirement, the distributions are tax-free, including your contributions and any earnings that have accrued (as long as you’ve had the account for at least five years).

No matter what your tax bracket is in retirement, qualified withdrawals from your Roth 401(k) are not counted as taxable income.

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In order for a withdrawal from a Roth 401(k) to count as a qualified distribution — meaning, it won’t be taxed — an employee must be age 59 ½ or older and have held the account for at least five years.

If you make a withdrawal before this point — even if you’re age 61 but have only held the account since age 58 — the withdrawal would be considered an early, or unqualified, withdrawal. If this happens, you would owe taxes on any earnings you withdraw and could pay a 10% penalty.

Early withdrawals are prorated according to the ratio of contributions to earnings in the account. For instance, if your Roth 401(k) had $100,000 in it, made up of $70,000 in contributions and $30,000 in earnings, your early withdrawals would be made up of 70% contributions and 30% earnings. Hence, you would owe taxes and potentially penalties on 30% of your early withdrawal.

If the plan allows it, you can take a loan from your Roth 401(k), just like a traditional 401(k), and the same rules and limits apply to how much you can borrow. Any Roth 401(k) loan amount will be combined with outstanding loans from that plan or any other plan your employer maintains to determine your loan limits.

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Money in a Roth 401(k) account can be rolled into a Roth IRA. Like an employer-sponsored Roth 401(k), a Roth IRA is funded with after-tax dollars.

One of the big differences between a Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA is that the 401(k) requires participants to start taking required minimum distributions at age 72, but there is no such requirement for a Roth IRA.

It’s important to note, however, that there’s also a five-year rule for Roth IRAs: Earnings cannot be withdrawn tax- and penalty-free from a Roth IRA until five years after the account’s first contribution. If you roll a Roth 401(k) into a new Roth IRA, the five-year clock starts over at that time.

If you’re thinking of establishing a Roth IRA in order to roll over your account in five years, keep in mind that you must meet income requirements to contribute to a Roth IRA.

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Understanding 401(k) tax rules and 401(k) tax benefits puts you in a position to take steps to minimize taxes overall.

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Contributing to a traditional 401(k) is essentially a bet that you’ll be in a lower tax bracket in retirement — you’re choosing to forgo taxes now and pay taxes later.

Contributing to a Roth 401(k) takes the opposite approach: Pay taxes now so you don’t have to pay taxes later. The best approach for you will depend on your income, your tax situation, and your expectations for your tax treatment in the future.

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Having savings in different types of accounts — both pre-tax and post-tax — may offer more flexibility in retirement.

For instance, if you need to make a large purchase, such as a vacation home or a car, it may be helpful to be able to pull the income from a source that doesn’t trigger a taxable event. This might mean a retirement strategy that includes a traditional 401(k), a Roth IRA, and a taxable brokerage account.

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Eight U.S. states don’t charge individual income tax at all: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. And New Hampshire only tax interest and dividend income.

This can affect your tax planning if you live in a tax-free state now or if you intend to live in a tax-free state in retirement.

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Saving for retirement is one of the best ways to prepare for a secure future. Making sure you’re saving enough, choosing appropriate investments, and understanding 401(k) tax rules are all part of the equation.

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This article originally appeared
on 
SoFi.comand was syndicated
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