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Meaning / Definition of

Hardship Withdrawal

Categories: Retirement and Pension,

A hardship withdrawal, also known as a hardship distribution, occurs when you take money out of your 401(k) or other qualified retirement savings plan to cover pressing financial needs. You must qualify to withdraw by meeting the conditions your plan imposes in keeping with internal revenue service (IRS) guidelines. For example, you may have to demonstrate how urgent the situation is and prove you have no other resources. Some allowances are purchasing your primary home, covering out-of-pocket medical expenses for yourself or a dependent, and paying college tuition for yourself or a dependent. However, if you're younger than 59 1/2, you must pay a 10% penalty plus income tax on the amount you withdraw. You also may not be permitted to contribute to the plan again for six months.

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Definition / Meaning of

Catch-up Contribution

Categories: Retirement and Pension,

You are entitled to make an annual catch-up contribution to your employer sponsored retirement savings plan and individual retirement account (IRA) if you're 50 or older. The catch-up amounts, which are larger for employer plans than for IRAs, increase from time to time based on the rate of inflation. You are eligible to make catch-up contributions whether or not you have contributed the maximum amount you were eligible for in the past. And if you participate in an employer plan and also put money in an IRA, you are entitled to use both catch-up options.Earnings on catch-up contributions accumulate tax deferred, just as other earnings in your account do. And when your primary contributions are tax deferred, so are your catch-up contributions.health savings accounts (HSAs), which you're eligible to open if you have a high deductible health plan (HDHP), allow catch-up contributions if you're at least 55. Your eligibility to make any contributions to an HSA ends when you turn 65.

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