How to Avoid Taxes on Your CARES Act Retirement Withdrawal

Congress passed several relief bills to ease the financial burdens on struggling American workers during the pandemic. A provision of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act allowed workers of any age to withdraw up to $100,000 penalty-free from their company-sponsored 401(k) plan or individual retirement account in 2020. Normally a withdrawal from a 401(k) or IRA before age 59 1/2 would incur a 10% early withdrawal penalty, but the CARES Act waived this penalty for 2020. Income tax is still due on the withdrawal, but there are several options to delay or minimize this tax bill.