The Slott Report

RMD CALCULATION AND TRUSTS FOR DISABLED BENEFICIARIES: TODAY’S SLOTT REORT MAILBAG

Question: Hoping you can help with this technical question. I am over 73. My traditional IRA balance as of 12/31/22 was $0.00. I made a $7,500 non-deductible traditional IRA contribution in 2023 and converted the full balance ($7,508.23, including $8.23 of interest) to a Roth IRA in 2023. I did not do an RMD prior to the conversion, but I did not have a traditional IRA balance at the end of 2022 and my 2023 traditional IRA contribution was non-deductible.

NEW ROTH PROVISIONS EFFECTIVE IN 2024

When the bell dropped in Times Square last Sunday night, a bunch of new provisions from the SECURE 2.0 legislation kicked in. This article will focus on the Roth-related changes that are effective in 2024.

IRS Gives the Holiday Gift of SECURE 2.0 Guidance

On December 20, the IRS gave us the holiday gift of some guidance on a few provisions from the SECURE 2.0 Act. Notice 2024-02 is in a question-and-answer format and provides much needed clarification on SECURE 2.0 provisions, some of which are already in effect, and others which will come online in just a few short days in 2024.

Roth Conversions and Inherited IRAs: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag

Question: I have a traditional IRA with a portion being nondeductible contributions. The last nondeductible contribution I made was in 2009. and I have my Form 8606 showing the basis. I want to convert a portion of my traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Can I convert all of the nondeductible amount plus some of the before-tax contributions to a Roth IRA? I have never taken any distributions from my traditional IRA. I'm 52 years old. Thanks, Jeff

Two Holiday Lists

The SECURE 2.0 Act contained over 90 sections and included numerous IRA and retirement account changes. Additionally, the legislation incorporated staggered effective dates over multiple years. Here is a list of 10 items from the Act scheduled to come on-line in 2024:

SECURE 2.0 RELAXS RETROACTIVE SOLO 401(k) RULES

Thinking of opening up a new solo 401(k) plan for 2023? Thanks to SECURE 2.0, you don’t have to rush to get it done by year end. A solo 401(k) is an excellent retirement savings vehicle for self-employed business owners with no employees (other than their spouse). That’s because the IRS says that a business owner with a solo (k) actually wears two hats – one as an employee and one as an employer. As an employee, he can make elective deferrals up to $22,500 for 2023, or $30,000 if age 50 or older.

SUCCESSOR BENEFICIARY RULES AND NEW SPOUSE BENEFICIARY RULES: TODAY’S SLOTT REPORT MAILBAG

Question: My sister inherited an IRA from our mother (age 95 and died in 2019.) My sister took her RMDs (required minimum distributions) from this inherited account over her life expectancy. My sister died in 2021, leaving me as her beneficiary of this inherited IRA. My sister had already taken her 2021 RMD before her death. Not knowing, I took an RMD in 2022 by just dividing her 12/31/21 value by 10. Now I am uncertain what to do for my RMD in 2023. What schedule do I use now for the RMD in 2023? Also, does the account need to be depleted by the end of 2031 or 2032?

Time is Running Out for 2023 QCDs

If you are charitably inclined and have an IRA, you might want to consider doing a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) for 2023. The deadline for a 2023 QCD is fast approaching. It is December 31, 2023, but many custodians have even earlier cutoffs. Don’t miss out on this valuable tax break. Here is what you need to know.

Bad Santa & The Grinch Offer Horrible IRA Advice – Part 2

The investment advisory firm of Bad Santa & the Grinch continues to disseminate misinformation and lousy, no good, rotten-to-the-core IRA advice. As we saw in “Bad Santa & The Grinch Offer Horrible IRA Advice – Part 1” (Slott Report, November 29), these two unsavory characters take great joy in fouling up not only your holiday, but also the qualified status of IRAs. Here are more fish bones, brown banana peels, coffee grinds and raccoon meals from their dented trash can of “IRA assistance.”