Generally, early distributions from a retirement account are income and you must report it on your return. IRA withdrawals are considered early before you reach age 59½, unless you qualify for another exception to the tax.After age 59 ½, the IRS allows penaltyfree withdrawals. All withdrawals are subject to ordinary income tax. Once you reach 59 ½ years old, you can typically withdraw money from your retirement account without incurring an early withdrawal fee. Once you reach 59 ½ years old, you can typically withdraw money from your retirement account without incurring an early withdrawal fee. May I withdraw money from my DCP account at any time? What are my payout options? In general, you're not supposed to take money out of your IRA or 401(k) before age 59½. If you leave your company at age 55 or older, you may be able to begin taking penalty-free withdrawals right away.