It’s worth your time and effort to pay close attention to the paperwork involved in opening or moving money between retirement accounts. Making a mistake could mean that the account loses its special tax benefit characteristics. This would cause you to both realize taxable income from the account and lose the chance to have the money in the account continue to grow tax-deferred. If you over-contribute to an account or contribute to an account that you weren’t eligible for—remember the income limitations for a Roth account, for example—you’ll need to withdraw the excess contributions and then pay a penalty. In either case, it’s best to pay attention to what you’re signing and to carefully follow the rules of the accounts. Fortunately, there is an easy place to get this information.

Always go to the source for the most reliable information. For retirement accounts, that source is the IRS. Their website, www.irs.gov, is full of surprisingly easy-to-understand guidance on all things tax, including the rules around retirement accounts. It’s alright to use an unofficial website or a book to guide you and make the information easier to understand, but books and websites can be wrong or outdated—the final, timely authority is the IRS. Retirement plans are explained in a variety of publications that are available online. The information you might need includes the following.

Remember, in the end, you’re responsible for complying with all the rules that regulate your accounts. If you need help, your tax preparer, accountant, Certified Financial Planner™, or the IRS can give you guidance. For your work plans, your best resource will be the human resources department, the plan administrator, or the financial institution acting as trustee. Call the customer service number on your account statement to get in touch with them.