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You can generally move a Roth IRA to another provider without triggering a taxable distribution by using a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer. The current IRA trustee sends the assets directly to the new IRA trustee; the IRS treats this as a transfer, not a rollover. Start with the receiving custodian’s transfer process, then confirm how both providers handle your assets and paperwork.
How do I transfer my Roth IRA to another company?
- Open or identify the receiving Roth IRA. Confirm with the new custodian that it can accept the account and the investments you want to move.
- Ask the receiving custodian to start a trustee-to-trustee transfer. It will explain its forms and any information it needs from you. The IRS describes a direct IRA-to-IRA transfer as one trustee sending funds directly to another; in some cases, the current trustee issues a check payable to the receiving trustee, even if you deliver it.
- Confirm asset handling with both institutions. Ask whether investments can move in kind or must be sold, whether any assets are ineligible, and whether fees or processing estimates apply. IRS rules do not set universal forms, fees, timelines, or in-kind transfer requirements.
- Keep records and check the receiving account. Verify that the assets arrived and that the account reflects the expected holdings. If a check is used, make sure it is payable as the custodians direct; do not assume a check made payable to you is equivalent to a direct transfer.
The IRS explains that a direct transfer between IRA trustees “isn’t a rollover” in Publication 590-A (2025), Chapter 1. That distinction is why a direct transfer is generally the simplest route for a Roth IRA move between providers.
Is a Roth IRA transfer taxable?
A direct transfer from one Roth IRA trustee to another does not, by itself, change the account’s Roth tax character or count as a distribution paid to you. It is different from taking money out and then depositing it elsewhere, which may be a rollover subject to separate rules.
Also distinguish a Roth-to-Roth transfer from a Roth conversion. Moving pretax money from a traditional IRA or an eligible retirement plan into a Roth IRA is a conversion, not a same-type provider transfer. The conversion amount may be included in taxable income. The IRS describes conversion methods and rules in Publication 590-A (2025) and its guidance on rollovers and conversions.
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| Method | Who receives the money? | 60-day deadline? | One-rollover-per-year rule? | Possible tax effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trustee-to-trustee Roth IRA transfer | The receiving IRA trustee receives assets directly from the current trustee; a check may be payable to the receiving trustee. | No 60-day rollover deadline applies to a direct transfer. | No. A direct transfer is not a rollover. | Moving Roth IRA assets between Roth IRAs does not itself convert them or create a distribution to you. |
| 60-day rollover | You receive a distribution and then contribute eligible funds to another IRA or plan. | Generally, yes: the rollover must be completed within 60 days of receipt. | For IRA-to-IRA rollovers, generally one in any 12-month period across your IRAs; exceptions include direct transfers and conversions. | An invalid, incomplete, or late rollover can result in tax and possibly additional tax. |
| Roth conversion | Pretax funds move from a traditional IRA or eligible plan into a Roth IRA, through a rollover or transfer method. | Only if you use the 60-day rollover method; other conversion methods are available. | No. Conversions are excluded from the one-rollover-per-year limit. | Taxable conversion amounts may be included in income. |
These federal tax rules do not dictate how a particular provider processes a transfer or which assets it accepts. Confirm operational details with both custodians.
What is the 60-day rollover rule?
If an IRA or retirement plan pays a distribution to you and you want to roll it over, the IRS generally requires you to deposit the eligible amount into another plan or IRA within 60 days of receiving it. The IRS states this deadline in its rollover guidance. Some retirement-plan distributions may have withholding, which can leave you needing to replace withheld funds to roll over the full distribution.
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The one-rollover-per-year restriction is narrower than a rule against moving an IRA more than once a year. It generally applies to IRA-to-IRA rollovers, across an individual’s IRAs, in any 12-month period. A direct trustee-to-trustee transfer is not a rollover, and conversions are also excluded. The IRS says it cannot waive the one-rollover-per-year rule.
Late-rollover relief is limited and not automatic. The IRS describes possible avenues including an automatic waiver for eligible cases, a private letter ruling, and self-certification. Self-certification is not an IRS ruling that every condition for a valid rollover has been met; a receiving trustee may rely on it only for the limited purpose the IRS describes. See the IRS page on waivers of the 60-day rollover requirement.
Can I move my Roth IRA without selling my investments?
Whether specific investments can transfer in kind depends on the custodians and the assets involved; the IRS rules do not establish a universal in-kind transfer policy. Ask the receiving custodian whether it supports each holding and ask the current custodian what must be sold, if anything, before the transfer. Also check whether assets that cannot move could be distributed, liquidated, or handled another way under the providers’ procedures before you authorize a transaction.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to check before starting
- Confirm that the destination is a Roth IRA if you intend a same-type account transfer.
- Tell both custodians whether the transaction is a Roth-to-Roth transfer or a conversion from pretax retirement money.
- Ask the receiving custodian to initiate the direct transfer and confirm the precise payee instructions if a check is involved.
- Get current details on fees, processing estimates, eligible holdings, and any liquidation requirements from the institutions themselves.
- If you already received a distribution, determine whether it qualifies for rollover treatment and track the 60-day deadline rather than treating it as a direct transfer.
The IRS’s newer rollover standardization guidance for transfers between retirement plans and IRAs explicitly excludes IRA-to-IRA transfers; do not assume that separate process governs a Roth IRA move between custodians. See the IRS announcement on plan-to-IRA rollover standardization.
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