Being on a visa generally does not make your workplace 401(k) balance expire. Participate under the current plan, confirm how employer-contribution vesting works and review your options before changing address or taking a distribution.
While employed
Judge the 401(k) by its plan terms, not by your visa
Current TSMC Arizona recruiting materials describe a 401(k) with employer contributions, but public sources do not provide a universal Arizona formula or vesting schedule. Your current summary plan description and account statement are the working documents.
Confirm your eligibility, the employer contribution sources, vesting, investments, fees, beneficiary rules and how a midyear transfer affects payroll. Visa status does not replace any of those plan terms — and the decisions get bigger the day employment ends.
When employment ends
Weigh keeping, rolling and distributing before you leave the United States
As a former employee you may be able to leave the account in the plan, complete a direct rollover to an eligible U.S. account or take a distribution — subject to plan and receiving-provider rules. A cash-out can create tax and possible additional tax on top.
Ask the plan and any IRA provider the blunt questions: do they service Taiwan residents, accept a foreign address and allow investments and distributions after the move? Get the answer before initiating a rollover, because once you are in Taiwan, documentation shapes what happens next.
Three options when employment ends
Each is subject to plan and receiving-provider rules — get the answers before you leave the United States.
Whether the account may remain depends on your balance and the plan’s rules
Ask whether the provider services Taiwan residents, accepts a foreign address and allows investments and distributions after the move
A cash-out can create tax and possible additional tax on top
From Taiwan
What documentation does to U.S. withholding
IRS guidance says a plan distribution to a foreign payee generally requires 30% withholding unless documentation establishes U.S.-person status or another valid exception. And Taiwan is not on the IRS treaty list, so as a Taiwan resident you should not assume treaty pension relief.
Coordinate future distributions with U.S. and Taiwan tax professionals, and keep your taxpayer-identification, beneficiary, address and account-access records current. Treat this guide as preparation, not as individualized advice — at every step, the current TSMC Arizona documents control the plan’s actual terms.
Frequently asked questions
Questions employees ask next
Can a TSMC Arizona visa holder use the 401(k)?
Eligibility comes from the plan and your employment category, not from a general rule excluding visa holders. Review the current enrollment materials.
Do I have to close the 401(k) when returning to Taiwan?
Not necessarily. Your balance and the plan’s rules determine whether the account may remain — compare provider policies and tax consequences first.
Will a 401(k) distribution in Taiwan have U.S. withholding?
It can. A foreign payee can face 30% withholding absent documentation or a valid exception — and your individual tax liability and reporting still require professional review.
Primary sources
What this guide is based on
You understand the issue
Now get help applying it to your situation.
Semiconductor Wealth connects employees with financial advisors who can help coordinate employer benefits, taxes, cash flow and investments into a clear sequence of decisions.