Get a Cash Bonus for Opening a New IRA

It often makes sense for job switchers and retirees to roll over their 401(k) to a traditional or Roth IRA (see Pros and Cons of Rolling Your 401(k) Into an IRA). A handful of discount brokerages, including five of our top-ranked online brokers, compete for your retirement dollars that you’ve saved with another company by offering cash incentives that range from $100 to $2,500, depending on how much you invest. Consider:

Guide to Scoring the Best Deals in 2017

• Costco vs. Sam's Club
• Best Tools to Save on Online Shopping
• Surprising Perks From Your Credit Card
• Best Time to Buy Big-Ticket Items
• Invest for Less With Commission-Free ETFs
• Trim Your Mortgage Rate With a 'Nonbank'
• Update Your Bathroom for Less
• Top Tech Bargains of 2017
• Save Big on Exotic Travel
• Save on Air Travel

E*Trade. Open a new IRA with $25,000 rolled over from an employer retirement account, and E*Trade will kick in a $200 bonus. For a rollover of $1 million or more, you’ll get $2,500.

Fidelity. Score a $100 bonus when you fund a new IRA with at least $25,000. Or roll over at least $50,000 from a 401(k) or IRA and Fidelity will award you a $200 bonus. You’ll earn a bonus of $2,500 if you roll over $1 million or more.

Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Save up to 74%

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.

Sign up

Merrill Edge. A rollover IRA funded with as a little as $20,000 will earn you a $100 bonus. For accounts funded with $200,000 or more, Merrill offers a $600 bonus.

Scottrade. Funding a new IRA with $25,000 from your old 401(k) will earn you a $100 bonus. You’ll earn a $2,500 bonus if you roll over $1 million or more to a new IRA.

TD Ameritrade. Roll over $25,000 or more to a new TD Ameritrade IRA and you’ll receive a $100 bonus. Rollovers of $1 million or more earn a $2,500 bonus.

Charles Schwab and Vanguard do not offer rollover incentives or bonuses.

Don’t let a signing bonus sway you completely. Low commissions to trade stocks or exchange-traded funds or low fees on your investments can save you money in the long run. And finding a firm that suits your needs is far more valuable than a bonus. To see how leading online brokers stack up, see our guide to the Best Online Brokers.