SEP IRA Rollover: Understanding Rules & Tax Implications

Done properly, a rollover has no tax consequences.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not allow you to borrow money from your Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Account (SEP IRA) or to use it as loan collateral. However, the IRS permits you to roll money from your SEP IRA into another qualified retirement plan. You are allotted 60 days to complete the transfer. What you do with the money during that time is up to you. However, properly complete the rollover, otherwise you will hamstring your retirement account and potentially owe significant penalties.

Step 1

Withdraw money from your SEP IRA by filling out the appropriate forms from the financial institution that has custody of your account. Provide your account number, name, address, Social Security number and how you want the money disbursed to you. Most financial institutions can directly deposit it into your bank account or issue you a check.

Step 2

Put the money you receive toward whatever purpose you need. The IRS does not require you to document how the money was used between the time you receive it and the time you redeposit it.

Step 3

Deposit the money into a tax-deferred retirement account within 60 days. You can put the money back into the same account or into a different tax-deferred account, a traditional IRA, for example.

Step 4

Use IRS form 1040 or 1040A to report the rollover as a nontaxable distribution. As of 2010, the amount is reported on line 11a of form 1040A or line 15a of form 1040. Write "Rollover" next to the amount.

Tip

You will receive only 80 percent of the withdrawal amount because 20 percent will be withheld for tax purposes. However, you are responsible for redepositing the entire amount. For example, if you request $20,000, you will receive $16,000 and redeposit $20,000.

Warning

The IRS will consider any amount that you fail to redeposit within 60 days as a distribution from your SEP IRA.