Should You Roll Over Your 401(k)?
A rollover is not automatically better. Compare plan features, investment choices, access, costs, and the retirement strategy before moving the money.
Before you roll over an old 401(k) — or make major changes to the one you still have — get an independent second opinion on what you own, what your plan allows, and how the account fits into the retirement you are building.
The goal is not to find a reason to move the account. The goal is to understand the account well enough to make the next decision intentionally.
Independent 401(k) Review
See what we actually review before you make a move.
We use your current 401(k) information to look beyond the fund names. We want to understand how much you are contributing, whether you are capturing the employer match, how the portfolio is allocated, which tax options you are using, what plan features are available, and whether a rollover would improve or reduce your flexibility.
Contribution level and employer match
Traditional vs. Roth contributions
Allocation and true diversification
Risk relative to retirement timing
Plan features and investment flexibility
Rollover choices and tax implications
$149 Independent Fiduciary 401(k) Review
Get a second opinion before the next 401(k) decision.
The review is a focused 30-minute strategy session for people with at least $250,000 in their 401(k). Your review includes a personalized GradeYour401k report so you leave with a clearer picture of the account and the decisions worth considering.
GradeYour401k Strategies
Three decisions worth understanding before you change anything.
These short videos show why a 401(k) decision is rarely just about picking funds. Access rules, taxes, plan features, and the rest of your retirement strategy can all matter.
Traditional or Roth 401(k)?
The contribution choice affects when you pay taxes and the flexibility you may have later. The right answer depends on the broader retirement tax picture.
Does Your 401(k) Have a Brokerage Window?
Some plans offer more investment flexibility than the standard fund menu suggests. A brokerage window can materially change the options available inside the plan.
When a 401(k) rollover may make sense
Changing jobs or retiring often creates a choice: leave the account in the old plan, move it to a new employer plan, roll it to an IRA, or take another path allowed by the plan. None of those choices is automatically best.
- Consolidating several retirement accounts may simplify management
- An IRA may provide a broader investment menu
- An employer plan may have features worth keeping
- Early-retirement access rules can affect the decision
- Company stock, Roth assets, or other plan features may require special review
- The tax and retirement-income plan should be considered before assets move
Avoid the “automatic rollover” mistake
A rollover is an administrative transaction, but the consequences can reach much further. Before moving the account, we want to know what you might be giving up, what you may gain, and how the decision affects the rest of the retirement plan.
Taxes
Roth assets, company stock, withholding, and future conversion opportunities can all affect the best path.
Access
Age, employment status, Rule of 55 considerations, and plan-specific withdrawal provisions can matter.
Investments
A rollover can expand investment choices, but some employer plans already offer useful low-cost or institutional options.
Retirement strategy
The account should support the income, tax, risk, and estate decisions that come later — not sit in isolation.
Your 401(k) is part of a retirement plan — not the whole plan.
Once we understand the 401(k), the next question is how it fits with Social Security, taxable investments, IRA assets, Roth conversions, required minimum distributions, and the income you will need in retirement.
The videos and information on this page are for educational and illustrative purposes only and do not constitute individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Plan provisions vary. A rollover is not appropriate in every situation and should be evaluated based on the specific plan, account, tax circumstances, and retirement goals.