A rollover occurs when you withdraw cash or other assets from one qualified
employer retirement plan and contribute all or part of it within 60 days to
another qualified retirement plan or traditional IRA. This transaction is
not taxable but it is reportable on your Federal Tax Return. You can roll
over most distributions except for:
- The nontaxable part of a distribution, such as your after–tax contributions
to a retirement plan (in certain situations after tax contributions can be
rolled over),
- A distribution that is one of a series of payments based on life expectancy
or paid over a period of ten years or more,
- A required minimum distribution, or
- A hardship distribution.
Any taxable amount that is not rolled over must be included as income in
the year you receive it.
If the distribution is paid to you, you have 60 days from the date you
receive it to roll it over. Any taxable distribution paid to you is subject
to a mandatory withholding of 20%, even if you intend to roll it over later.
If you do roll it over, and want to defer tax on the entire taxable portion,
you will have to add funds from other sources equal to the amount withheld.
You can choose to have your employer transfer a distribution directly to another
eligible plan or to an IRA. Under this option, taxes are not withheld.
If you are under age 59 1/2 at the time of the distribution, any taxable
portion not rolled over may be subject to a 10% additional tax on early distributions.
Certain distributions from a SIMPLE IRA will be subject to a 25% additional
tax.
For further information about rollovers and transfers, refer to Publication 575 .