The Slott Report
Where Should You Convert? Roth IRA or Roth 401(k)?
You’ve had "the conversion talk" and have decided that a Roth conversion is in your best interest. Now you have a choice ... should you convert your existing 401(k) money to a Roth 401(k) – your plan must have adopted this voluntary feature in order for you to do so – or should you make a conversion to a Roth IRA? While on the surface these two types of accounts are very similar – they both, for example, offer the prospects of tax-free growth and future distributions – there are a number of subtle, and not so subtle, differences that may make one type of conversion far more beneficial for you than the other. With that in mind, here is a summary of some of the most important factors to consider when making this decision:
The BEST Way to Convert Your IRA to a Roth IRA
Ruling to Remember: Math Issue Leads to 60-Day IRA Rollver Problem
A taxpayer we will call "Rebecca" represented that she received a distribution from her IRA on December 4, 2009. It was always her intent to rollover that distribution back into the IRA by the 60-day rollover deadline. She was informed in writing by her financial institution that the redeposit deadline was February 4, 2010 (a date which was actually after the deadline). She followed that procedure and gave her financial advisor a check for the entire rollover amount for redeposit on the specified deadline date (February 4, 2010). Unfortunately, Rebecca's rollover actually happened on day 62.
The 3 Categories of IRA Beneficiaries You Must Know
There are three categories of beneficiaries that might want to stretch distributions from their inherited IRAs. A beneficiary's options will depend on which category they find themselves in. We detail these 3 categories below.
Slott Report Mailbag: Are Beneficiary IRAs Treated Separately for Pro-Rata Rule?
Knowing the Answers in an Ever-Changing Tax and IRA Landscape
How do you become an IRA expert? You must devote substantial time and resources to a topic you are passionate about and never stop learning. That's what separates experts from those with foundational knowledge. Tax rules governing IRAs are always changing, and we make sure we know these updates and how they affect the IRA landscape as soon as possible. Here's a few of the questions we get from financial advisors and consumers about our methods for staying on top of the IRA world.
Move IRA Funds Using Transfers to Avoid Problems
Whenever you move IRA money into another IRA at a different financial institution, it can be done in one of two ways. First, you could take a distribution from your IRA that is payable to you and roll over the money to another IRA. The second way is to transfer the funds directly from one IRA to another IRA. We recommend that you move IRA money using the direct transfer method to avoid problems. Click to find out why.
Slott Report Mailbag: The Effects of IRA Contributions on Social Security Benefits
3 Reasons to Wait Until You Retire to Make a Roth Conversion
One of the most common Roth IRA questions I'm asked is, "Should I make a Roth conversion?" While Roth conversions can make sense at any age, depending on your particular circumstances, generally speaking, the younger you are, the more it makes sense. In this article we go over 3 reasons to wait until you retire to make a Roth conversion.