Get IRS Form 4972 Walkthrough (Tax On Lump Sum Distributions)

Essentially, you may qualify for “ten-year averaging” when you receive a lump-sum distribution (LSD) from a qualified plan. In effect, you're treated as if you're receiving the payout over ten years for tax purposes, thereby reducing the overall tax liability.

There are a few methods that you can use to reduce your taxable income. These include contributing to an employee contribution plan such as a 401(k), contributing to a health savings account (HSA) or a flexible spending account (FSA), and contributing to a traditional IRA.

Lump-sum taxes Lump-sum distributions can kick you up into a higher tax bracket. For example, if in retirement you have $9,000 per year in taxable income, you'd likely be in the 10% tax bracket in 2023. But if you take out a $200,000 lump-sum withdrawal, you'd probably find yourself in the 32% bracket.

Mandatory income tax withholding of 20% applies to most taxable distributions paid directly to you in a lump sum from employer retirement plans even if you plan to roll over the taxable amount within 60 days. Note that the default rate of withholding may be too low for your tax situation.

You may be able to avoid all income taxes on dividends if your income is low enough to qualify for zero capital gains if you invest in a Roth retirement account or buy dividend stocks in a tax-advantaged education account.

To avoid paying taxes on your annuity, you may want to consider a Roth 401(k) or a Roth IRA as a funding source. Then, you do not pay taxes upon withdrawal since Roth accounts are funded with after-tax dollars.

If you take a lump-sum distribution, even using Form 4972, the retirement plan administrator typically withholds 20% of your withdrawal and sends it to the IRS on your behalf. If your ultimate tax liability is lower than 20%, you can claim that part back when you file your taxes.

Investors can avoid taxes on a lump sum pension payout by rolling over the proceeds into an individual retirement account (IRA) or other eligible retirement accounts.