Empower 401(k) rollover
Your Empower 401(k) rollover, step by step — without missing the IRS 60-day deadline.
Empower rollovers have a specific path: the right phone tree, the right form, and the pitfalls almost nobody mentions. Get a personalized plan in 3 minutes.
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Customer service
1-855-756-4738 (former Empower Retirement); 1-800-345-2345 (Prudential-acquired plans)
Mon-Fri 8am-10pm ET, Sat 9am-5:30pm ET
Transfer method
Paper-based (slower)
10-14 business days (paper-based)
Form name
Direct Rollover request (plan-administrator form, varies by employer)
Login portal
https://participant.empower-retirement.comWhat makes Empower unique
Three pitfalls Empower rollovers run into.
- 01
Empower acquired Prudential's full-service retirement business in 2022 and MassMutual's in 2021 — if your old plan was at either, it's now on the Empower platform and the login is at empower-retirement.com (not the Prudential or MassMutual portal).
- 02
Empower defaults to mailing a paper check to YOU unless you specifically request a 'direct rollover, custodian-to-custodian wire'. If you accept a check made out to you, 20% is mandatorily withheld and you have 60 days to deposit the gross amount (the 20% comes out of your pocket until tax-time refund).
- 03
Some Empower plans require your former employer to countersign the rollover request — this can add 5-7 days if HR is slow. Call HR before you call Empower so they have your request on file.
The 5-step playbook
Here's the path for Empower → IRA.
- Day 0
Open your destination account.
Have the destination account number, account type (IRA / 401(k) / Solo 401(k)), and routing info ready before you call Empower. They'll need all three.
- Day 1
Call Empower and request a DIRECT rollover.
Phone: 1-855-756-4738. Say: 'I want a direct trustee-to-trustee rollover to my IRA at [destination]. Do NOT mail a check to me — wire or check made payable to [destination FBO my name].' Have your Empower account number, SSN, and the destination wire info ready. They'll send you a form to sign.
- Day 2
Sign and return the Empower rollover form.
Empower will email or mail a 'Distribution Election' form. Some forms require your former employer's HR to sign too — verify on the form. Return via fax (fastest), upload to the participant portal, or mail.
- Get my free preview → to see steps 4–5 + the day-by-day checklist + your personal deadline date.
FAQ
Common questions.
How long does a Empower 401(k) rollover take?
10-14 business days (paper-based). Plan for the upper end of that range — the IRS 60-day window starts the day your distribution check is issued, not the day it arrives.
What's the IRS 60-day rule?
If you take an indirect rollover (check made out to you), you have 60 calendar days to redeposit the FULL amount into another qualified account. Miss it and the distribution is taxed as ordinary income plus a 10% penalty if you're under 59½. Direct rollovers (custodian-to-custodian) avoid this entirely.
Will I owe taxes on a Empower 401(k) rollover?
Not if you do a DIRECT rollover into a Traditional IRA or another pre-tax 401(k). Rolling into a Roth IRA is a conversion — you'll owe ordinary income tax on the converted amount. We model this in your full plan.
Can I roll the Empower 401(k) into an IRA at the same place?
Yes — you can roll a Empower 401(k) into a Empower IRA. It's the simplest path because there's only one account login. But shop the destination: some custodians offer better fund options or lower fees than your old plan side.
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