Vanguard 401(k) rollover
Your Vanguard 401(k) rollover, step by step — without missing the IRS 60-day deadline.
Vanguard 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
1-800-523-1188 (Personal Investor) / 1-800-523-1036 (Small Business 401(k))
Mon-Fri 8am-8pm ET
Transfer method
ACATS (electronic) eligible
5-7 business days (ACATS); 2-3 weeks for paper
Form name
Move money in — Direct rollover (online wizard)
Login portal
https://my.vanguard.comWhat makes Vanguard unique
Three pitfalls Vanguard rollovers run into.
- 01
Vanguard's outbound-transfer form is at 'Profile & account settings → Move money out → To another firm'. It's easy to miss — they bury it deeper than other custodians.
- 02
If your 401(k) is at Vanguard Retirement Plan Services (employer plan), the path is different — log into Vanguard.com/retirementplans, not my.vanguard.com.
- 03
Vanguard requires a Medallion Signature Guarantee for transfers over $100K (NOT a notary — a Medallion stamp, typically from a bank you have a relationship with). Get this in person before you start; finding a Medallion provider can take a couple days.
The 5-step playbook
Here's the path for Vanguard → IRA.
- Day 0
Confirm whether your 401(k) is on the Personal Investor side or the Retirement Plan side.
If your old employer's plan was administered by Vanguard, you're likely on 'Vanguard Retirement Plan Services' (vanguard.com/retirementplans). Different portal, different forms. Call 1-800-523-1036 to confirm.
- Day 1
Open destination account + secure Medallion Signature Guarantee if needed.
Open the IRA at the destination. If your balance is over $100K, ask your primary bank (Chase, BoA, Wells, etc.) to provide a Medallion stamp. NOT a notary — Medallion specifically. Bring photo ID and account statements; some banks require you to be a customer.
- Day 2
Initiate the transfer from the receiving institution.
Best path: have the destination custodian pull the assets via ACATS. Log into the destination account, choose 'Transfer in from another firm', select Vanguard, enter your Vanguard account number. The destination handles the ACATS request.
- 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 Vanguard 401(k) rollover take?
5-7 business days (ACATS); 2-3 weeks for paper. 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 Vanguard 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 Vanguard 401(k) into an IRA at the same place?
Yes — you can roll a Vanguard 401(k) into a Vanguard 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.
Ready?
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