Submitted by solidboom t3_ygojk6 in personalfinance

Hi,

I have a 401k with my current employer. I took out a loan from my 401k a few years ago, about 20% of the total, which I'm still gradually paying back every month.

I'm moving to the EU next year and I don't know what to do with my 401k situation. Do I leave it in the US? Can I move it to the EU? Am I supposed to empty it?

Any advice would be super helpful. Thanks!

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Comments

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Knipfty t1_iu9lvs7 wrote

Doesn't matter where you live. Your 401k follows US rules. Leave it where it is or roll it over to an IRA. Keep it fully invested. When you get to retirement, you'll pay US taxes on the amounts withdrawn. No matter where you live.

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micha8st t1_iu9m5t1 wrote

what will be your employment status? Will you be an ex-pat working for your current employer?

Do you expect to return to USA?

You need to pay back the loan within, by law, I think 60 days after quitting. If you fail to do so by the next tax-filing deadline, it then becomes a dis-qualified withdrawal, subject to taxes and penalties.

Generally, rolling the thing to an IRA is the best thing to with the 401k.

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solidboom OP t1_iu9pc5u wrote

This is super helpful. I will be looking for new employment and will not be working as an expat with my current employer. If I roll it over into an IRA will I be able to access it in the EU?

Thanks for your help.

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Abacadaba714 t1_iub0ks2 wrote

Once you leave your company that you have the 401k loan through, you will need to immediately pay it back or it will be considered an early distribution and you'll have to pay tax plus a penalty on it.

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oceanleap t1_iub5vdg wrote

I suggest moving it to an IRA with Fidelity or similar. You'll have full control of it. Keep a US bank account open so that you can easily transfer money in or out of it (hard to do from an overseas bank account). Open the IRA account and do their paperwork to transfer the money directly, don't you withdraw it. If you withdraw it you risk getting hit with a lot of taxes and penalties if you don't put it in the IRA quickly enough.

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