Stay Ahead of Law Changes & Protect Yourself Against Being Audited: Corporate Transparency Act and Reasonable Compensation

Retirement Distributions – Cutting Your Finances Off at the Knees 101

The Impact of Retirement Distributions on Your Savings

Let’s begin by making the generous assumption that no matter how old you currently are, when you retire social security will still be funded and you’ll be able to draw your share from it for the rest of your life. If all you have when you retire is social security, you’re not going to be able to keep your quality of life at the level it probably currently is at.
You need to have made retirement contributions throughout your life that were invested in the market and had time to grow. This is a concept that is generally accepted, though not fully understood, by the working populace. Unfortunately, what is also generally understood is that prior to reaching retirement you can often find hardship reasons to access your retirement money prematurely.
One of the biggest mistakes I see my clients make is taking distributions from retirement accounts because they needed the money right then and there. Now before I go any further, I’ll tell you verbatim what I tell every single one of my clients who does this:
“You have to do what you have to do.”
I get it, you’re in a bind and you must do something. However, a large portion of the time my clients have decided they needed to do the only thing they could think of. The beauty of Molen & Associates is you’re not alone in making financial decisions, you can call us and allow us to brainstorm and open up other potential opportunities. However, we’re not mind readers, we need you to keep us in the loop whenever you’re making an important financial decision. You don’t have to call just to say “Hi”, but you should be looping us in throughout the year.
To assist in bringing more clarity to this topic, I’ll give you a hypothetical situation that is by far and away the most common mistake my clients make when taking early distributions from their retirement accounts. To reiterate, I see almost this exact scenario at least 3-4 times per year.

John and Jane Smith both work and each has a 401(k) retirement account. John is in his early 40’s and Jane just turned 39 for the second time. They’ve had quite a few things come up in the past couple of years that have set them back financially. They’re only able to make minimum payments on their credit cards and feel like they’re not really getting ahead of their debt. Based on their financial circumstances they think the best option is to withdraw $50,000 from John’s 401(k) to help them get back on track. They know it’ll hurt the future growth of the retirement account but once they’re not paying off debts anymore, they can increase both of their retirement contributions moving forward. In the end it’ll even out for sure!
John signs all the necessary paperwork to affect the distribution. The 401(k) plan provider asks if John wants to withhold the taxes and tells him the federal minimum is 10%. John agrees to have the taxes withheld and so of the $50,000 distribution, $5,000 is sent to the United States Treasury and the remaining $45,000 is wired into their account. They use this money to get out of debt and both John and Jane just increase their 401(k) contributions. They feel good about their decisions and have a plan to recoup the losses moving forward.
Then John and Jane come to Molen & Associates to have their taxes done. They forgot to call me to let me know they were going to make such a distribution but since the 401(k) plan provider already took out the taxes, they assumed the distribution wouldn’t affect their tax return. After reviewing the Form 1099-R that shows the distribution I explain to them the reality. John and Jane are in a 22% tax bracket and the entire distribution is taxed at that rate. Furthermore, the distribution was taken prior to reaching the retirement age of 59 ½ which means it’s subject to the early withdrawal penalty of 10%. This 10% penalty is additive to the 22% tax rate for a grand total of 32%. What started as a $50,000 distribution with $5,000 in federal income tax withholding ends up with an effective tax of $16,000. John is visibly frustrated and asks me why the $16,000 wasn’t withheld from the distribution “Why did they only take $5,000?!”
The reality is the 401(k) plan provider doesn’t know your tax rate, they don’t do your tax return! They only know what the law requires, which is what they always recommend. 10% covers the penalty, but nothing more.

I now must explain all of this in detail to John and Jane and tell them they owe $11,000 (remember, $5,000 was already paid of the $16,000 in grand total tax that the distribution caused). They tell me that since paying off the debts they’ve had a few more struggles and they have a little bit more credit card debt again, not much but they were hoping their tax refund would help them pay it off. They’re in shock and angry at the plan provider for not giving them more information.
The reality here is had they called me, I would have done the same math and explained the outcome. Maybe John and Jane would’ve made the very same decision, taking the $50,000 distribution, but this time having them withhold $16,000 rather than just the $5,000. They would’ve only pocketed the $34,000 difference, which makes it a very expensive $50,000, but maybe it’d have been enough. They may have also made a different decision, such as debt consolidation loans or borrowing from the 401(k) rather than taking a straight distribution. You see borrowing from the account isn’t a taxable event and can get some cash in your hands without the nasty tax implications.
Instead, John and Jane owe $11,000 to the IRS and the only thing they can think of to pay this off is to take another distribution. I’m not even kidding, that is sometimes the knee-jerk reaction that this hypothetical John and Jane will have. Luckily right then and there they’re sitting in front of me and I’m able to guide them. You see, I don’t make financial decisions for my clients, I explain the outcome of all the possible decisions, advise them on what I think is the prudent course, and then tell them “You have to do what you have to do.” I just make sure they know what the consequences of their actions will be. I’ve mentioned this in some of my other posts, but I will again tell you that when I was young my mother taught me “frustrations only come from unrealized expectations.” and I’ve lived my life by that mantra. John and Jane were frustrated because they expected the $5,000 withholding to cover all the tax on their distribution. If they knew it was $16,000 from the jump and still decided to do it, then they would never have experienced that same frustration.
I hope this hypothetical situation was helpful in explaining some of the biggest mistakes I see regarding retirement distributions. If you’re considering taking a retirement distribution, please reach out to us at Molen & Associates. We’ll be happy to give you a free 15-minute consultation so your financial reality can match up to your expectations!

Kevin Molen
Tax Advisory Manager

The Molen & Associates Difference

Mike Forsyth

“Super helpful and timely. This is our first year with them and we look forward to trusting them with our taxes and business books for years to come.”

Caitlin Daulong

“Molen & Associates is amazing! They run an incredibly streamlined process, which makes filing taxes a breeze. So impressed with their attention to detail, organization, and swift execution every year. Cannot recommend them enough!”

Sy Sahrai

“I’ve been with Mr. Molen’s company for few years and I felt treated like family respect and dignity. They are caring, professional and honest, which hard to find these days. Love working with them.”

Want to deduct your dog? Here’s how?

Three Ways to Deduct Your Dog, Cat, or Other Animal Expenses Owning a pet is often an expensive yet rewarding experience, with annual costs for dogs ranging from $1,270 to $2,800. While the love and companionship pets provide are invaluable, the IRS views their...

Claim $1600 Stimulus Check – IRS 2025 Rebate & Eligibility

As millions of Americans continue to grapple with financial challenges post-pandemic, questions surrounding the $1600 stimulus check, IRS 2025 payments, and the Recovery Rebate Credit are trending once again. Whether you missed out on a past stimulus payment or are...

Bookkeeper vs. Accountant: What’s the Difference?

Bookkeeper vs. Accountant: What's the Difference? Managing your business’s finances is essential for long-term success, but understanding the roles of a bookkeeper and an accountant can be confusing. In the debate of Bookkeeper vs. Accountant: What's the Difference?,...

How to Set Up Your IRS Online Account with ID.me (Step-by-Step Guide)

ID.me and the IRS Login System ID.me is a third-party identity verification service that the IRS uses to provide secure access to certain online tools and services. If you need to access your IRS account online, such as to view your tax records, get your transcripts,...

What Is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act? Key Tax Changes for 2025 and Beyond

Debt, Deductions, and Cuts: The Fiscal Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill If you’re a taxpayer, business owner, or financial advisor, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBB) could impact your tax strategy in major ways. Passed by the House of Representatives in May...

5 Signs Your Business Needs Accounting Help

5 Signs Your Business Needs Accounting Help Running a successful business requires more than a great product or service—you need a solid handle on your finances. However, many small business owners and self-employed professionals find themselves overwhelmed by the...

Tax Implications: Employees vs. Contractors

Tax Implications: Employees vs. Contractors When growing your business, deciding whether to hire employees or engage independent contractors is a critical choice with significant tax implications. Understanding the difference between these two worker classifications...

Maximize Your QBI Deduction Before It’s Gone: Act Now!

Maximize Your QBI Deduction Before It’s Gone: Act Now! Introduced by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction has become a cornerstone tax break for business owners. However, this valuable deduction is scheduled to sunset after...

Outsourced vs. In-House Bookkeeping: Which Is Best?

Outsourced vs. In-House Bookkeeping: Which Is Best? As a small business owner or self-employed professional, keeping accurate financial records is critical for managing cash flow, preparing taxes, and driving growth. When it comes to bookkeeping, you have two main...

Cash vs. Accrual Accounting: Which is Best for Your Business?

Cash vs. Accrual Accounting: Which Method is Right for Your Business? Choosing the right accounting method is one of the most important financial decisions a small business owner can make. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your bookkeeping process,...

Request an Appointment Today

8 + 7 =

Call us at

Share This