The Slott Report

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) must begin from most of your retirement accounts at age 70 ½. But it is not as easy as just looking at when you are 70 ½.

Did you make your IRA contribution for 2016? If you did, you may want to take some time now during tax season to be sure your contribution is an allowable contribution and not an excess contribution.

This week's Slott Report Mailbag looks into spousal contributions, IRAs, the IRS guidelines, and RMDs.

One of the most common questions asked during tax season is, “Do I have to file a tax return?” The answer, of course, is a bit complicated, but in general, if your income is equal to or greater than the sum of the standard deduction plus your personal exemption, you must file a return. The standard deduction is higher for those 65 or older, so age makes a difference in some cases.

Most people think it is easy to leave an IRA to their heirs. But is it? The following is a quick quiz. How many of these beneficiary questions can you get correct? The answers are at the end of the quiz.

This week's Slott Report Mailbag looks into missed RMDs, IRA transfers, and Testamentary Trusts.

On Sunday night we were treated to the first ever overtime in Superbowl history. It was a great game (with a lousy outcome – sorry, not a Pats fan). Of course, what most people will remember is that the Patriots finished off what may be the greatest comeback in sports history (that hurts to say), and that it was only the score at the end of the game that mattered. That may be true for the Superbowl, but it’s not always the case. As it turns out, sometimes the score at halftime does matter.

Are you one of the growing number of savers who has a Roth IRA? If so, there will come a time when you will want to take funds from your account. Here are 5 things that every Roth IRA owner should know before taking a distribution.

This week's Slott Report Mailbag looks into inherited IRAs, beneficiaries, and backdoor Roth IRA strategies.

Generally, the goal when naming IRA beneficiaries is that they will stretch out their distributions on the inherited IRA for as long as possible. The tax code and regulations currently support this goal by stating that the stretch option is the default option. But, of course, there are certain rules that must be followed. The IRA agreement must allow for a stretch option. As unbelievable as it may seem, there are still IRA custodians that do not offer a stretch option to beneficiaries.