When most people leave a job, they roll their 401(k) money over to an IRA to gain access to more investment options and have more control over the account. Although a rollover isn’t always the right move, it is the best move in many cases. Here are a few:

Your plan has high-cost investments: Many large 401(k) plans offer low-cost options that have been carefully vetted by the plan’s administrators, but other 401(k)s are hobbled by underperforming funds and high costs. And even low-cost plans may charge former employees higher administrative fees if they choose to keep their 401(k). Companies are required to disclose the fees they take out of your account to pay for administrative costs.

Review your quarterly statements for details. Companies are also required to provide an annual rundown of the plan’s investment costs, expressed as a percentage of assets, or an expense ratio. To see how your plan’s expense ratio compares with that of other employer-sponsored plans, check out www.brightscope.com.

You have a trail of 401(k) accounts: If you’ve changed jobs frequently, leaving your plan behind could result in a mishmash of overlapping funds that may not suit your age and tolerance for risk. In that case, it can make sense to consolidate all of your old 401(k) plans in an IRA. Another option is to roll 401(k) accounts from former employers into your current employer’s plan, assuming that’s permitted.

You need more bond funds: Although most 401(k) plans have a solid lineup of stock funds, they’re often much weaker when it comes to fixed-income options, says Melissa Brennan, a certified financial planner in Dallas. Most plan trustees are focused on encouraging participants to accumulate as much as they can — which typically involves investing in stocks. As you get close to retirement, though, you’ll probably want to shift to a less-aggressive mix of investments.

Rolling your money into an IRA will provide you with a smorgasbord of fixed-income options, from international bond funds to certificates of deposit.

You want flexibility for withdrawals: About two-thirds of large 401(k) plans allow retired plan participants to take withdrawals in regularly scheduled installments, and about the same percentage allow retirees to take withdrawals whenever they want, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America, a trade group. But other plans still have an “all or nothing” requirement: You either leave your money in the plan or withdraw the entire amount.

In that case, rolling your money into an IRA will enable you to manage your withdrawals and taxes you’ll pay on them.

Sandra Block is a senior associate editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com.