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Question: Can you put funds into a Roth IRA for a 14 year old using money you have paid the child for doing chores? Client was told all he needed to do was keep a record of what was paid by to the child. I have always enjoyed your presentations. Thank you, Cathy

Suppose you inherit 401(k) (or other ERISA plan) funds and then file for bankruptcy before receiving those funds. Can you lose those 40(k) dollars to your bankruptcy creditors? According to a recent decision of a Bankruptcy Court in North Carolina, you don’t have to worry.

You may be familiar with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). These accounts have been around now for a while. They work with high deductible health insurance and are known for their triple tax benefits. Contributions can be deducted. Earnings are tax deferred while in the HSA account and, if HSA funds are used for qualified medical expenses, both contributions and earnings are tax-free when distributed. While you may know the basics, here are 5 HSA benefits that may surprise you:

Question: Hi, I have a client who died in 2021 before taking his 2021 RMD. He designated various charities as beneficiaries of his IRA. The IRA custodian is advising the executor to take the RMD, however according to a previous post by Mr. Slott, Revenue Ruling 2005-36 states in this scenario the RMD is to be paid to the beneficiaries. I suggested the client ask the custodian to request confirmation from their legal department. Any other steps? Thank you, LP

On July 15 and 16, financial advisors from around the country gathered virtually for Ed Slott and Company’s Instant IRA Success workshop. We took a deep dive into the rules governing retirement accounts and engaged in some lively discussions of issues that advisors on the front line are facing regularly as they help their clients plan for a secure retirement. Here are five takeaways to share from our recent meeting:

In the May 17, 2021 Slott Report, we discussed the rules governing required minimum distributions (RMDs) from defined benefit (DB) plans, also known as “pension plans.” We said that DB plan payments usually have no problem satisfying the RMD rules, but there are two special rules that sometimes apply.

A surviving spouse has a number of options regarding how to deal with IRAs inherited from his or her deceased spouse. The age of both the deceased and surviving spouse will most often dictate the decision as to how to proceed. Typically, a surviving spouse who is age 59 ½ or older will do a spousal rollover with the assets. A spousal rollover allows the surviving spouse to consolidate the inherited IRA into her own, thereby minimizing future paperwork and confusion. She will have full and unfettered access to the assets (other than potential taxes due).

When you contribute to a traditional IRA you make a deal with Uncle Sam. You can get a tax deduction and tax deferral on any earnings in your IRA. However, eventually the government is going to want its share and will require funds to come out of these accounts. That is when you must start required minimum distributions (RMDs). You may not need the money and you may not want the tax hit. Here are some strategies that can help reduce your RMD.

Hi. My name is John and I have a Roth question. I have read your most recent book but did not find the answer to this question. I have made non-deductible contributions to a traditional IRA for many years, so about half of the account is basis. I have no Roth account (yet). I recently left my job and rolled over my 401(k) into a separate rollover IRA. Will I have to include this rollover IRA along with the traditional IRA as part of the pro-rata rule in order to take advantage of Roth conversions? Hopefully, I did not screw up by removing funds from my prior employer.

Would you like to make charitable donations from your IRA but aren’t eligible for a qualified charitable distributions(QCD) because you’re under age 70 ½? Are you eligible for QCDs but want to donate more than the $100,000 annual limit? Are you interested in making charitable gifts from your 401(k) or other company savings plan? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you should be aware of a tax strategy just just for 2021 that we call the “Mega QCD.”