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How do I opt out or stop contributing to my 401(k) account?
How do I opt out or stop contributing to my 401(k) account?

If you don't want to invest in your 401(k), here's how to opt out or stop your contributions.

Updated over 3 weeks ago

If you're not interested in making paycheck contributions (known as deferrals) into your Guideline 401(k) or you'd like to pause them temporarily, you can opt out at any time by logging into your account.

Please note, if you’re trying to opt out from the enrollment email you received from Guideline, you will need to set up your account first, even if you do not wish to participate.

How to stop your contributions

  1. Access the Contributions page of your dashboard by clicking the “Manage” button within the “Payroll contribution” section on the main page of your dashboard. You can also get to this page by selecting Contributions from the main menu.

  2. From the Contributions page, change the contribution rate to 0% or $0 for both Traditional 401(k) and Roth 401(k). Note that once you stop your personal payroll contributions, that you will no longer be eligible to receive any applicable employer match.

  3. Click the “Save changes” button.

How to opt back in after suspending contributions

With your Guideline 401(k), you may adjust your contribution rate and type at any time.

If you decide you would like to contribute to your Guideline 401(k) plan again, you can easily follow the instructions above and increase your contribution rate.

Please note that if you change your contribution rate too close to when your employer runs payroll, your new rate will be reflected on the following payroll run. You can contact your employer or payroll department directly to confirm when your company runs payroll.¹


¹ If your employer uses a manual payroll or non-integrated payroll provider (as opposed to one of our integrated payroll partners with real-time data sync), there may be a delay in your contribution rate change being applied within payroll. For last-minute changes, you should check with your company's payroll department to confirm that the contribution rate change is reflected in payroll before they process payroll.

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