Yes! You can use AI to fill out Retirement Benefit Choices Guide
The Retirement Benefit Choices Guide is a comprehensive document provided by Principal Financial Group to help plan participants make informed decisions about their retirement savings. It details various options such as rolling funds into an IRA, taking a direct cash distribution, or leaving the money in the plan, explaining the tax implications of each choice. Today, the forms included in this guide can be filled out quickly and accurately using AI-powered services like Instafill.ai, which can also convert non-fillable PDF versions into interactive fillable forms.
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Form specifications
| Form name: | Retirement Benefit Choices Guide |
| Number of pages: | 1 |
| Language: | English |
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How to Fill Out RBC12-06 Online for Free in 2026
Are you looking to fill out a RBC12-06 form online quickly and accurately? Instafill.ai offers the #1 AI-powered PDF filling software of 2026, allowing you to complete your RBC12-06 form in just 37 seconds or less.
Follow these steps to fill out your RBC12-06 form online using Instafill.ai:
- 1 Navigate to Instafill.ai and upload or select the Retirement Benefit Choices Guide.
- 2 Choose the specific form you need to complete from the guide, such as the 'Direct Rollover' or 'Cash Distribution' form.
- 3 Use the AI assistant to automatically fill in your personal details like name, address, Social Security Number, and date of birth.
- 4 Select your desired retirement benefit option, specifying percentages, dollar amounts, and rollover destinations as required by the form.
- 5 If applicable, provide financial institution details for rollovers or direct deposits.
- 6 Review all the information pre-filled by the AI for accuracy, then securely add your digital signature and date.
- 7 Download the completed form and submit it to Principal Life Insurance Company according to the instructions provided.
Our AI-powered system ensures each field is filled out correctly, reducing errors and saving you time.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Form RBC12-06
This guide explains your options for managing your retirement funds after leaving your employer, such as rolling them over, taking a cash distribution, or leaving them in the plan. It includes the necessary forms to make your election.
Participants of an Associated Pension plan who have terminated employment and need to decide what to do with their vested retirement account balance must complete one of the forms in this packet.
You can roll your funds into an IRA, take a cash distribution, leave the funds in your former employer's plan, or purchase a plan annuity for regular payments. Each choice has different tax implications and requires a specific form from the guide.
A cash distribution is considered taxable income and is subject to a mandatory 20% federal tax withholding. If you are younger than 59 ½, you may also face an additional 10% early withdrawal penalty.
To defer taxes, you can choose a 'Direct Rollover' to an IRA or another eligible retirement plan. This option avoids the 20% mandatory withholding and the potential 10% early withdrawal penalty.
You will need to provide the name, address, and account number of the receiving financial institution on the Direct Rollover form (pages 9-12). You should confirm with the new institution that they will accept the rollover before submitting the form.
Yes, the forms for Direct Rollover and Cash Distribution allow for partial distributions. You can specify a percentage or dollar amount for each action, and the remainder will stay in the plan if it's above the minimum balance.
Your election must be made within 180 days of receiving the guide. If more than 180 days have passed, you must request a new booklet and restart the process.
Your spouse's signature is required on the 'Plan Annuity Options' form if you are married and choose to name someone other than your spouse as the primary beneficiary. The signature must be witnessed by a Plan Representative or a Notary Public.
For assistance, you can call a retirement professional at 1-800-547-7754, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time.
You can mail the completed form to Principal Life Insurance Company, PO Box 9394, Des Moines, IA 50306-9394, or fax it to (866) 704-3481.
Yes, services like Instafill.ai use AI to accurately auto-fill form fields with your personal information, which can save you time and help prevent errors.
To fill out the form online, upload the PDF to the Instafill.ai platform. The AI-powered tool will help you complete the required fields digitally before you print the form for your signature and submission.
If your PDF is a flat, non-fillable image, you can use a tool like Instafill.ai to convert it into an interactive, fillable form. This allows you to type your information directly into the fields instead of filling it out by hand.
Compliance RBC12-06
Validation Checks by Instafill.ai
1
Social Security Number Format and Uniqueness
This check verifies that the Social Security Number/Taxpayer ID Number field is completed and follows the valid 9-digit format (XXXXXXXXX or XXX-XX-XXXX). The number is essential for tax reporting to the IRS and for uniquely identifying the participant's account. If the format is invalid or the field is empty, the form submission will be rejected and require correction to prevent processing errors and tax compliance issues.
2
Date of Birth Logical Validity
Validates that the participant's Date of Birth is a real date and falls within a logical range, for example, not in the future and indicating the person is over 18 and under 120 years old. This date is critical for determining eligibility for certain distribution options and for applying tax rules, such as the 10% additional tax for early withdrawals for those under age 59½. An invalid date will halt processing until a valid date is provided.
3
U.S. Person Status and Form W-8 Requirement
This check ensures that the participant has selected either 'I am a U.S. Person' or 'I am not a U.S. Person'. If 'I am not a U.S. Person' is selected on the Cash Distribution or Plan Annuity forms, the system flags that an appropriate IRS Form W-8 must be submitted as well. This is crucial for determining the correct tax withholding rate, as non-resident aliens are subject to different rules. Failure to provide the required W-8 form will suspend the distribution request.
4
Mutually Exclusive Rollover Election (Full vs. Split)
On the 'IRA with The Principal' and 'Direct Rollover' forms, this validation ensures that the user has completed either Section 2-A (Roll 100%) OR Section 2-B (Split contributions), but not both. The form explicitly instructs the user to choose only one path to define their rollover. If both sections are completed, the submission is considered ambiguous and must be rejected, requiring the user to clarify their intent.
5
Split Distribution Allocation Total
For rollover forms where Section 2-B (Split contributions) is completed, this check validates the allocation amounts. If percentages are used, it ensures the sum for any single money type (Pre-Tax, Roth, After-Tax) does not exceed 100%. If dollar amounts are used, it verifies that the requested amount does not exceed the available balance for that money type. This prevents over-distribution requests and ensures the user's instructions are mathematically sound.
6
Guide Receipt Date Precedes Signature Date
This validation confirms that the 'Date I received the Retirement Benefit Choices Guide' is on or before the signature date on the form. Federal law mandates a waiting period between receiving the guide and processing the distribution, and this check helps document compliance. If the receipt date is after the signature date or is missing, the form is flagged for review to ensure legal requirements are met before processing.
7
Partial Cash Distribution Amount Specificity
On the 'Cash Distribution' form, if the user selects a 'partial payment' in Section 2, this check ensures that they have provided either a dollar amount OR a percentage, but not both. Providing both creates ambiguity in the distribution instruction. If both fields are filled, the form will be rejected and returned to the participant for clarification.
8
Direct Deposit Routing Number Validation
For 'Cash Distribution' and 'Plan Annuity' forms requesting Direct Deposit, this validates that the Routing/Transit Number is exactly 9 digits long and conforms to the standard ABA routing number format, including a checksum validation. This is a critical check to prevent misdirection of funds, which can cause significant delays and financial issues for the participant. An invalid routing number will cause the submission to fail until corrected.
9
Completeness of Receiving Financial Institution Information
When a 'Direct Rollover' to an external institution is requested, this check ensures that the name and full mailing address of the receiving financial institution in Section C are provided. This information is mandatory for issuing and mailing the rollover check to the correct destination. Incomplete or missing information will put the transaction on hold until the user provides the necessary details.
10
Annuity Payment Start Date Rules
On the 'Plan Annuity Options' form, this validation enforces the specific rules for the 'Payment Starting Date' in Section 2. It checks that the date is not in the past and that the day of the month is not the 29th, 30th, or 31st, as explicitly forbidden on the form. This rule ensures payments are scheduled on days that occur every month, preventing processing exceptions and ensuring consistent payment delivery.
11
Beneficiary Allocation Percentage Sum
For the 'Plan Annuity Options' form, this check verifies that the percentages assigned to beneficiaries in Section 7 sum to exactly 100% for each beneficiary type (primary and contingent). This ensures that 100% of the death benefit is allocated, leaving no portion unassigned and no room for ambiguity. A submission with a total other than 100% will be rejected for correction to prevent future legal and payment disputes.
12
Conditional Spousal Consent for Non-Spouse Beneficiary
This is a critical logic check on the 'Plan Annuity Options' form. If the participant indicates they are 'Married' (Section 8) and names a primary beneficiary other than their spouse in Section 7, this validation ensures that the 'Spouse's Signature' section (Section 9) is fully completed and witnessed or notarized. This is a legal requirement to protect spousal rights to retirement assets, and failure to provide valid consent will render the beneficiary designation invalid and halt the request.
Common Mistakes in Completing RBC12-06
On the Plan Annuity form, if a married participant names a primary beneficiary other than their spouse, the spouse's signed and notarized consent is legally required in Section 9. Overlooking this step will render the beneficiary designation invalid and can lead to the entire distribution request being rejected, causing significant delays. To avoid this, always confirm if spousal consent is needed for your beneficiary choice and ensure your spouse signs in the presence of a notary or plan representative.
Participants often mistakenly fill out both Section 2-A (for a 100% rollover) and Section 2-B (for a split rollover) on the Direct Rollover or IRA forms. The instructions explicitly state to complete one or the other, not both. This contradiction creates ambiguity, forcing the processor to halt the request and contact the participant for clarification, delaying the entire transaction.
Transposing digits in the routing or account number is a frequent error when setting up direct deposit for a cash distribution or annuity payment. This mistake can cause the payment to be rejected, delayed for weeks, or in a worst-case scenario, sent to the wrong account. To prevent this, carefully double-check the numbers against a physical check and attach a voided check as recommended on the form to ensure accuracy.
On the Cash Distribution form, participants often misunderstand the tax implications, particularly the mandatory 20% federal withholding on eligible rollover amounts. They may also neglect to elect additional federal or state withholding, underestimating their total tax liability and facing a large, unexpected tax bill later. It is crucial to consult a tax advisor and carefully complete Section 3 to ensure appropriate taxes are withheld.
When filling out the Direct Rollover form, people frequently omit the full name, mailing address, or account number of the receiving financial institution in Section C. This incomplete information makes it impossible to process the rollover, as the check cannot be properly issued or sent. Before submitting, contact the receiving institution to confirm their exact details for rollovers and verify that they will accept the funds.
When requesting a partial cash distribution, people often enter a dollar amount but fail to specify if it's a 'Gross Distribution' or 'Net of Taxes.' The form defaults to a gross distribution, meaning the check received will be the requested amount minus taxes, which can be confusing. To receive a specific check amount, you must select 'Net of Taxes' to avoid confusion and ensure the payout matches your expectations.
The signature sections on all forms require not only a signature and date but also a certification of when the 'Retirement Benefit Choices Guide' was received. Forgetting to fill in this date is a common oversight that can invalidate the form, as these dates confirm compliance with mandatory waiting periods. To ensure your election is processed, complete every field in the signature block, including your printed name, signature, date, and the guide receipt date.
The forms require printing neatly in black ink, but submissions are often illegible or use blue ink, which can cause scanning issues or data entry errors for critical information like names and account numbers. This can lead to rejected payments or security risks. AI-powered form filling tools like Instafill.ai can prevent this by converting the non-fillable PDF into a typed, legible, and correctly formatted document.
Every form in the packet requires the participant to certify their tax status by checking either 'I am a U.S. Person' or 'I am not a U.S. Person.' This is critical for determining correct tax withholding rules, but it is a commonly missed checkbox. Leaving this blank will halt the processing of the request until the information is provided and confirmed.
The Plan Annuity Options form instructs participants not to choose the 29th, 30th, or 31st for their payment start date, as not all months have these days. People often overlook this detail, which can cause system errors and require the form to be corrected and resubmitted. To avoid this simple but impactful error, select a date between the 1st and 28th of the month for your first payment.
The 'IRA with The Principal' form states in Section 2 that if you are not working with an agent or broker, you should not complete the form and instead call a specific phone number. Many individuals miss this instruction, fill out the entire form, and submit it, only to have it rejected. This wastes time and delays the establishment of the new IRA.
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