It’s back to school time and the costs for college are quickly mounting. Where is the money going to come from? Many times individuals look to their retirement funds to pay higher education expenses. Can this be done and is it a smart move?
A well-known quote attributed to baseball great, Frank Robinson, says “Close doesn't count in baseball. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” In a recent Tax Court Case, David D. Pritchard et ux. v. Commissioner; T.C. Memo. 2017-136 (July 10, 2017), the Court found the exceptions to the 10% penalty for early distributions from retirement accounts to be more like baseball than horseshoes or hand grenades. Close is not good enough!
On July 28, the Treasury Department announced that it was ending the myRA program. The Department issued a very brief statement saying that as part of the Administration’s effort to assess existing programs and promote a more effective government it was determined that this program was not “cost effective” due to its low enrollment.
The arrival of fall means that it’s back to school time! This also means it is time for new school supplies and other bigger expenses. Are you thinking about using your IRA to pay that large tuition bill? The rules can be complicated. Here are 10 things you will want to know.
Many IRA owners invest in assets other than the usual stocks, bonds, cash, and mutual funds. In fact, the tax code allows for IRAs to invest in just about anything out there except for collectibles, life insurance, and S-corporation stock. But when you invest in those “other assets,” what are they really worth?
You may have heard of the Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) tax break. This is a special rule that allows you to qualify for capital gains treatment on distributions of appreciated employer stock from your employer plan. With the market doing well, now may a be a time when this strategy is more appealing than ever. You may understand the basics of how these rules work but here are five facts about NUA that may surprise you.
What are the rules when you inherit an inherited IRA? We get this question frequently. Let’s consider what happens when using designated beneficiaries.
Retirement plans are intended to be used for retirement. However, sometimes life gets in the way and you need to tap those funds early. Generally, when you take a distribution from your retirement plan prior to reaching age 59 1/2, you will be hit a with a 10% early distribution penalty. However, there are some exceptions to the penalty. Determining whether an exception applies can be tricky because some exceptions apply only to IRAs and some apply only to company plans. Other exceptions apply to both. Take our 10% early distribution quiz and see how well you know these complicated rules.
A very common mistake on the part of IRA owners and plan participants is thinking that distributions taken because of their financial difficulties are tax and penalty free.
Do you have an HSA? Have you thought about what will happen to those funds after you are gone? You may be surprised. At your death, any funds remaining in your HSA are payable to the beneficiary you name on the account. If your spouse is your beneficiary the news is good. If your kids get your HSA, they may not fare so well.
