Rollover IRA
Take control of your old 401(k) or 403(b) assets
- Manage all your retirement assets under one roof
- Enjoy investment flexibility and low costs
- Take advantage of tax benefits
Speak to a Retirement Specialist
$0
annual IRA account fees2
Interested in rolling over to E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley?
The average American changes jobs over 11 times between the ages of 18 to 50 alone.3
Compare investment accounts and consider your options to see if the retirement assets you left behind might work even harder in an E*TRADE Rollover IRA.
Easy process
Get support from our team of Retirement Specialists who will explain your account options and guide you from start to finish
Investment choices
Invest for the future with stocks, bonds, options, futures, limited margin, ETFs, and thousands of mutual funds
Low costs
$0 commission for stock, ETF, mutual fund, and options trades,1
Managed Portfolios
We can build, monitor, and manage a diversified retirement portfolio for your retirement needs—for as little as $15 a year5,6
Start investing today
Enjoy $0 commissions on online US-listed stock, ETF, mutual fund, and options trades with no account minimums.1
How to roll over in three easy steps
Have questions or need assistance? Call 877-921-2434 to speak with a Retirement Specialist.
We can take care of just about everything for you (just ask us!)
1
Open an E*TRADE Rollover IRA
You can apply online in about 15 minutes. If you’re planning to roll the assets into an existing E*TRADE IRA, you can skip this step.
2
Roll over your old retirement plan assets
Contact your former plan administrator and let them know you’d like to roll over. Fill out any required forms, then request to have a check made payable to “E*TRADE Securities, FBO <Your Name>” with your account number on the front.
Ask them to mail the check to:
E*TRADE Securities LLC
PO Box 484
Jersey City, NJ 07303-0484
3
Choose investments
We’ll notify you when your assets have arrived and are available for investing. You can use our online tools to choose from a wide range of investments, including stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, and more. Or, you can enroll your IRA in one of our
managed portfolios, and we’ll invest for you.
Want to learn more?
Our rollover tool helps to evaluate your eligibility for options for a former employer sponsored plan. Answer a few simple questions, and our tool helps to provide insights based upon the rules of the road for employer sponsored plans.
Trade more, pay less
With E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, you pay $0 commissions for online US-listed stock, ETF, mutual fund, and options trades. Here’s a quick overview of our clear, competitive per-trade pricing.1
Rollover IRA FAQs
Already have an IRA? Contribute now.
What are the eligibility requirements for Rollover IRA?
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- To apply online, must be a US citizen or resident
- Generally, an investor cannot roll over assets from an employer's plan into an IRA unless they have changed jobs, retired, or are over age 59½
- An investor may also roll over into a Roth IRA if they have made after-tax contributions to a Roth 401(k) or Roth 403(b), or want to convert a pre-tax 401(k) to a Roth IRA
How is a direct rollover initiated?
- A Traditional, Rollover, or Roth IRA account must first be opened with E*TRADE, unless account assets will be rolled over into an existing IRA.
- Contact the benefits administrator of the former employer and complete all distribution forms required to initiate the direct rollover.
For rollovers via check:
Instruct the plan administrator to issue a distribution check made payable to:
E*TRADE Securities, FBO <Name>
If rolling over to a Rollover IRA:
Make sure the Rollover IRA account number is included on the check.
If rolling over to a Roth IRA:
Make sure the Roth IRA account number is included on the check.
Instructions should be attached to the check if it is to be split between a Rollover IRA and a Roth IRA.
Instruct the plan administrator to mail the check to:
E*TRADE Securities LLC
PO Box 484
Jersey City, NJ 07303-0484
If the plan administrator sends you the check, simply forward it along with an IRA Deposit Slip to E*TRADE Securities at the address above.
For securities rollovers:
Instruct the plan administrator to forward securities to DTC Clearing 0385, Code 40.
Or, if the plan administrator wants to mail certificates, make sure the certificates clearly indicate the E*TRADE Rollover or Roth IRA account number and are registered to the following:
E*TRADE Securities, FBO <Name>
Instruct the plan administrator to mail the certificates to:
E*TRADE Securities LLC
PO Box 484
Jersey City, NJ 07303-0484
How long does a rollover usually take?
A rollover generally takes 4–6 weeks to complete. However, this timeframe depends on how long the former employer or plan administrator takes to process the transaction.
Does the rollover need to be reported on a tax return?
Yes. Any amounts rolled over directly from a pre-tax employer plan into a Traditional or Rollover IRA are reportable, but not taxable. The former employer will send IRS Form 1099-R, which reports the plan distribution. E*TRADE will then send IRS Form 5498 by May 31 of the following year, reporting the incoming rollover to offset the distribution. However, if a pre-tax qualified plan is rolled over into a Roth IRA, this transaction is taxable and must be included in taxable income. Consult with a tax advisor for more information.
Can a rollover be processed even if the individual is still working?
Generally, assets from an employer’s plan cannot be rolled over unless the participant has changed jobs, retired, or is over age 59½. Check with the employer's plan administrator to confirm whether assets may be transferred while still employed.
What are the differences between rollovers and transfers?
- Rollovers and transfers are two different ways of moving funds
- A direct rollover is the movement of assets from an employer's qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k) to an IRA. Assets are sent directly from the plan administrator to the IRA custodian. A direct rollover is reportable on tax returns, but not taxable.
- A transfer is the movement of IRA assets held by one trustee or custodian to an identically registered IRA held by another trustee or custodian, without taking physical receipt of the funds. Account transfers are not reportable on tax returns and can be completed an unlimited number of times per year.
Explore similar accounts
Managed Portfolios
Professional management, diversified portfolios
Tap into professional money management from E*TRADE Capital Management. Choose from an array of customized managed portfolios to help meet your financial needs.
Roth IRA9
Tax-free growth potential retirement investing
Pay no taxes or penalties on qualified distributions if you meet the income limits to qualify for this account.
E*TRADE CompleteTM IRA
For retirement investors over age 59½
Convert your IRA for flexible access to cash with free checking, online bill pay, and ATM/debit cards.10,11