Comparative assessments and other editorial opinions are those of U.S. News and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by any other entities, such as banks, credit card issuers or travel companies. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Most 401(k) plans are tax-deferred. This means that you don’t pay taxes on the money you contribute — or on any gains, interest or dividends the plan produces — until you withdraw from the account. Show That makes the 401(k) not just a way to save for retirement; it’s also a great way to cut your tax bill. But there are a few rules about 401(k) taxes to know, as well as a few strategies that can get your tax bill even lower. Here’s an overview of how 401(k) taxes work, how a 401(k) can affect your tax return and how to pay less tax when the IRS asks for a cut of your retirement savings. Taxes on 401(k) contributionsContributions to a traditional 401(k) plan come out of your paycheck before the IRS takes its cut. You’ll sometimes hear this referred to as “pre-tax income,” and it means two things: 1) you won’t pay income tax on those contributions, and 2) they can reduce your adjusted gross income. An example of how this works: If you earn $50,000 before taxes and you contribute $2,000 of it to your 401(k), that's $2,000 less you'll be taxed on. When you file your tax return, you’d report $48,000 rather than $50,000. A few other notable facts about 401(k) contributions:
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Taxes on 401(k) withdrawalsIf you withdraw the money early
There are a lot of exceptions. This article has more details, but in a nutshell, you might be able to escape the IRS’s 10% penalty for early withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) if you:
If you withdraw the money when you retireFor traditional 401(k)s, the money you withdraw (also called a “distribution”) is taxable as regular income — like income from a job — in the year you take it. (Remember, you didn’t pay income taxes on it back when you put it in the account; now it’s time to pay the piper.) You can begin withdrawing money from your traditional 401(k) without penalty when you turn age 59½. The rate at which your distributions are taxed will depend on what federal tax bracket you fall in at the time of your qualified withdrawal.
Taxes on Roth 401(k) plansSome employers offer another type of 401(k) plan called a Roth 401(k). These savings plans take the opposite approach when it comes to taxation: They’re funded by post-tax income. This means your contributions won’t lower your AGI ahead of tax-filing season. The biggest benefit of a Roth 401(k) is that because you’re paying taxes on your contributions now, you can withdraw the money tax-free later. A few other important notes:
Roth 401(k) vs. traditional 401(k)Tax treatment of contributions Contributions are made pre-tax, which reduces your current adjusted gross income. Contributions are made after taxes, with no effect on current adjusted gross income. Employer matching dollars must go into a pre-tax account and are taxed when distributed. Tax treatment of withdrawals Distributions in retirement are taxed as ordinary income. No taxes on qualified distributions in retirement. Withdrawals of contributions and earnings are taxed. Distributions may be penalized if taken before age 59½, unless you meet one of the IRS exceptions. Withdrawals of contributions and earnings are not taxed as long as the distribution is considered qualified by the IRS: The account has been held for five years or more and the distribution is:
Unlike a Roth IRA, you cannot withdraw contributions any time you choose. 7 ways to reduce your 401(k) taxes
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