Separation of Service

Glossary

Separation of Service

A term used by retirement plans to describe a worker’s cessation of employment, whether through resignation, termination, layoff, disability, death or retirement. Separation from service can trigger the right to receive benefits in accordance with the rules established by the retirement plan. Under the Rule of 55, workers who leave their job in or after the year they turn 55 may take distributions from their employer’s retirement plan without incurring an IRS 10% penalty. See Pension Plan, Defined Benefit Plan

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