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I'm Nicole Lappin, the only financial expert you don't need a dictionary to understand. It's time for some money rehab. Everything has a series finale, Bed Bath and Beyond, succession, and often our jobs. But once the credits roll, we have to answer this question: what happens next? This is what Money Rehabber Amber wrote in to ask about. Here she is.

Hi, Nicole. I recently resigned from my job and don't know what to do with the 401k from my former employer. I'm a single mom and currently unemployed. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do? Thank you.

First of all, Amber, congrats on leaving your job. Weird take, I know, but I'm sure However, you spent a long time thinking about this decision, and you have a very good reason to leave, so good for you for doing what's best for you and your family. A few things could happen next, but ultimately, what happens is completely up to you. So let's look at your choices. Now, you have a couple of things that we need to sort out about your financial situation. Do you have $5,000 or less in your 401(k)? If so, your old job will just automatically close your account, cut you a check, minus the taxes and penalties, and off you go. So if you're In doing an eat, pray, love situation, make sure that you have a forwarding address so that your check doesn't get lost in the mail. If you have more than $5,000, let's look at a couple of different things that could happen. If you quickly find a job that offers its own 401(k) plan, you can just take your old 401(k) and roll it into your new employer's 401(k). This is something that your HR department there could help you with.

It's a pretty simple process. You set it up by setting up your new 401(k) with your employer, and when you open that account, you tell the new plan manager that you'll be rolling over an old plan. There'll probably be a little extra paperwork involved, but it shouldn't be anything terrible. Then you contact your old plan and you tell them that you're doing a rollover and you fill out their paperwork. Okay, here's where things can get a little messy sometimes. Remember, 401(k)s are pre-tax accounts, meaning that you're taxed on that account not when you contribute, but when you take the money out. So when you roll over your 401(k), you do not You want it to count as a withdrawal or you'll be taxed and penalized, and that is bad news. So make sure you tell your old 401(k) provider that you want to do this as a direct rollover, meaning that the company managing your old 401(k) sends the money directly to the company managing your new 401(k). They might require you to play middleman or woman and then send you the check directly and ask you to deposit it into your new 401(k). This won't trigger a withdrawal if you deposit the check into your 401(k) immediately, but it will trigger all sorts of penalties if you deposit this money into your bank account.

So I repeat, this is critical. Do not deposit the money from your old 401(k) into your bank account. That will screw you over. Any money from your old 401(k) goes into your new 401(k), you do not pass go, you do not collect $200. Capiche? As a side note, if you love your old 401(k), for whatever reason, you can leave your money in there. You You won't be able to add more money into it, and there may be some extra fees, but it's yours, it's there, you can keep it forever and ever at the end. But Amber, it doesn't necessarily sound like you love your old plan, and for most people, having just one single 401(k) is a way easier way to manage your retirement. So rolling your old 401k into a new 401k is probably the move. Okay, here's the second scenario. Say you're leaving your job because you're interested in working for yourself, going freelance, or moving to a job that doesn't offer a 401k plan. In that case, you have the option of opening up a rollover IRA. You have to decide which of the two types of plans works best for you, traditional or Roth.

And funnily enough, another money rehabber had that very same question just a couple of days ago. So If you need a refresher on those options, I've linked that episode in the show notes. Amber, the final scenario you could be faced with is the prospect of not having any money to live on and needing your 401(k) money right now for living expenses. This means withdrawing money early and even cashing the entire thing in. This is not something I ever recommend doing. You'll have to pay 20% in taxes and take a 10% hit in penalties. You may be able to make a hardship claim under certain conditions. For example, if you quit your job because of a medical condition and the money is going to pay for your care and medical treatment. Although a hardship claim only knocks off the 10% penalty for early withdrawal, it doesn't do anything about the 20% in taxes you owe. This is a scary situation to be in, but if it's where you are now, I promise you'll be able to shake yourself off and get things back on track. You are not the first person, Amber, to withdraw from their 401(k) early, and you're certainly not going to be the last.

I hope this isn't the situation you're in, but if it is, I know it's stressful, and I promise it will be okay. And please keep me posted, truly. As you cruise along this road to financial freedom, there's going to be a lot more questions along the way, and my email is always, always open for you. Remember, you're in the driver's seat, but I will always be there for you in the passenger seat with a playlist and snacks, of course. For today's tip, you can take straight to the bank. Being in a position where you're not earning any income for a few months can definitely suck. But it may also mean that you qualify for tax credits you wouldn't normally be eligible for. For example, as a mom, you can qualify for the earned income tax credit if you make less than 59 grand this year. Anytime you have a big shift in income, make sure you look over your tax credit eligibility very carefully so you don't miss out on any money that should belong to you. Money Rehab is a production of Money News Network. I'm your host, Nicole Lappin. Money Rehab's executive producer is Morgan LaVoy.

Our researcher is Emily Holmes. Do you need some money rehab? And let's be honest, we all do. So email us your moneyquestions, moneyrehab@moneynewsnetwork. Com, to potentially have your questions answered on the show or even have a one-on-one intervention with me. And follow us on Instagram @moneynews and TikTok @moneynewsnetwork for exclusive video content. And lastly, thank you. No, seriously, thank you. Thank you for listening and for investing in yourself, which is the most important investment you can make.