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June 5, 2019
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Is there a penalty for receiving an early of a pension at age 56? I terminated at age 40 and received lump sum this year at age 56.

  • June 5, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 0 views
It was a standard, company pension and I was eligible to start receiving monthly benefits because I was over 55 1/2.  I left this employer in 2000 and received the lump sum in 2017.
Best answer by dmertz

You do not qualify for the age-55 exception because you separated from service before the year that you reached age 55.

You do not qualify for the exception for a series of substantially equal periodic payments because you received a lump-sum buy-out of your pension, not a series of payments for life.

Other penalty exceptions for distributions from a qualified retirement plan are listed on the following IRS web page, but are less common than the ones listed above that you already do not qualify for:

https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-tax-on-early-distri...



3 replies

DoninGA
Employee
June 5, 2019
What is the code in box 7 of the Form 1099-R?
June 5, 2019
The code in box 7 is 1.
dmertzAnswer
Employee
June 5, 2019

You do not qualify for the age-55 exception because you separated from service before the year that you reached age 55.

You do not qualify for the exception for a series of substantially equal periodic payments because you received a lump-sum buy-out of your pension, not a series of payments for life.

Other penalty exceptions for distributions from a qualified retirement plan are listed on the following IRS web page, but are less common than the ones listed above that you already do not qualify for:

https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-tax-on-early-distri...