Debating A 401(K) Loan To Float Your New Business? What Should You Consider?

If you're currently employed at a workplace that offers the option of a 401(k) loan to employees, you may be debating taking out such a loan to launch your own side business or purchase a piece of rental real estate. While these loans can have a number of advantages for those who don't have the cash flow or non-retirement reserves to take on any additional business debt, they're also subject to some strict rules and regulations that may impact your decision. Read on to learn more about how a 401(k) loan works and what you'll want to keep in mind before signing papers to borrow against your own retirement account.

What is a 401(k) loan?

Most pre-tax retirement savings plans, like 401(k)s, 457s, and IRAs, have some specific age limits when it comes to withdrawing these funds penalty-free. For those who have substantial funds saved for retirement, but not much saved elsewhere, a 401(k) loan can provide a quick infusion of cash without subjecting you to high interest rates or other restrictive terms. 

While you have an outstanding loan on your 401(k), you'll be required to make regular repayments, and may not be permitted to continue contributing to the 401(k). This could cause you to miss out on market gains that happen before the loan is fully repaid. However, any interest assessed on the loan is paid to yourself rather than to a bank or another third party, so at the conclusion of the loan period, you may end with a slightly larger amount than you withdrew. 

What should you consider when taking out a 401(k) loan to start a business?

One of the key things to remember with regard to a 401(k) loan is that these loans are almost always "called back" when your employment is terminated. This means that if you quit or are fired, you may be required to repay the loan in full within just a month or two of your last day, even if you previously had an agreed-upon payment plan covering a much longer period. 

This means you may want to first check with your employer to see if your use of these funds is permissible. If your employer is liable to fire you once it discovers you've started a side business, even if this business isn't related to what you do for a living at your day job, you could find yourself forced to repay the borrowed money before you're even able to use it. 

Depending upon the amount you'd like to withdraw, you may also want to consult with a business attorney to ensure you've taken all relevant factors into consideration and have a good handle on how to proceed. 

Speak with professionals like Rudolph and Chonoles LLP to learn more.

About Me

Protecting Your Dream: Business Attorneys

If you're like me, your small business represents the best things about you. I threw my time, energy, and passion into my business, and admittedly, I often chose my business over spending time with my family. When a customer took me to court over a malfunctioning product, I was devastated, and I was worried that I'd lose my dream, everything I'd spent my life working for. Luckily, I was able to find an incredibly intelligent and competent business attorney, and we got through everything intact. In this blog, I am going to include all kinds of posts on business law and business attorneys. I hope these posts help you protect your dream.

Search

Categories

Latest Posts

30 September 2024
Forced labor trade is a serious violation of human rights and international law. It involves the exploitation of individuals through coercion, decepti

2 November 2023
As a business owner, you may have faced legal disputes at one point or another. Whether it be issues with contracts, employees, customers, or competit

17 February 2022
Any harassment of a sexual nature is classified as a type of discrimination. You can sue someone that has made unwelcome advances to you, requested fa