Over the weekend I had a friend call for some tax advice – he was planning to purchase a duplex to occupy and rent and was considering taking a distribution from his IRA (ROTH & Traditional) and a loan from his 401(k) in addition to the cash funds he was going to use as a down-payment to avoid PMI. His proposal was this:
- $25k loan from 401(k) – the max given his $50k vested balance
- $10k early distribution from his Traditional or ROTH IRA
- $35k in cash for the remainder for a total down-payment of $70k.
Long story short, I had recommended he roll his Traditional IRA into his employer’s 401(k), a little known maneuver, to increase the the amount of loan he’d be eligible for through his 401(k) (typically a maximum of 50% of the account balance or $50,000). This move saves him from draining his IRAs and their future earnings, as well as the tax on a $10,000 early Traditional IRA distribution. As an added bonus, he will now be able to contribute to his ROTH IRA in future years using the “back-door” ROTH strategy that many high earner’s utilize to navigate the contribution limits typically associated with ROTHs.
Reuters assembled an article detailing additional benefits that come with rolling your Traditional IRA into an employers 401(k), check it out here.
Disclaimer: This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.