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I have an Roth IRA through Wealthfront that I opened several years ago. I also have a company 401(k) through Fidelity NetBenefits.

Since the Roth IRA is a personal account (no employer match, no automatic withdrawal from paycheck), I have not contributed much to it. I can let what little money is there sit and earn a bit, but I was wondering if I can and should roll it over into my 401(k). Will there be tax and/or early withdrawal penalties? Is it even a good idea?

In my attempt to search for these answers, I see most people asking about rolling 401(k) into Roth IRA, but I am asking the opposite.

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    Are you sure that your employer allows after-tax (Roth) contributions to the 401k?
    – Nosjack
    Mar 15, 2022 at 15:31

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No, you can't do this, even if your 401(k) has a Roth option. See the IRS's Rollover Chart, noting the 'No' on the top-right for rolling a Roth IRA into a Roth 401(k).

But to be honest, you probably wouldn't want to anyway. Since an IRA is not associated with your employer, you have more freedom with it. Also, if you had to withdraw, taxes are more favorable when withdrawing from a Roth IRA versus a Roth 401(k). Don't worry about the small balance of your Roth IRA. Compound growth works the same with many small accounts versus one big account. Just keep adding whatever you are able to both accounts.

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  • Thanks, this is a great answer, and that rollover chart is especially useful.
    – micahmo
    Mar 15, 2022 at 20:48

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