Senators’ SEAL Act Would Ease 401(k) Loan Paybacks

Enzi added in the same statement that “A secure retirement is a secure future. By giving people greater flexibility in repaying money they borrowed from their 401(k) accounts, we can help promote responsible savings and a better retirement for today’s workers.”

The bill would also allow employees to continue to contribute to their 401(k) plans during the six months following a hardship withdrawal, a practice currently prohibited. Letting workers fund their accounts after a withdrawal would allow them to receive a company’s matching contributions.

Brian Graff, CEO of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), said in a statement that more Americans save at work through an employer sponsored retirement plan than in any other way.

“The power of their compounding retirement savings is weakened when the individual takes a hardship withdrawal from retirement savings or does not repay a loan from a 401(k) plan because it came due when employment was terminated,” Graff said. “We are mindful that some employees have serious immediate financial needs. Therefore, we believe it is important to minimize the harm that comes from accessing retirement funds for nonretirement purposes. The SEAL Act would be an important step toward addressing this problem.”