IRS recently issued a "friendly" reminder to taxpayers who did Roth conversions back in 2010 and took advantage of the two-year deal to split their conversion income equally between 2011 and 2012. IRS wants to be sure that those taxpayers do not "forget" to include the second half of their conversion on their 2012 tax returns.
This week's Slott Report Mailbag includes some of the more popular questions we receive each week. Can I contribute to a Roth IRA? What happens to my deceased parent's required minimum distribution (RMD)? We answer those questions and more in the question-and-answer below.
So far this year, we've received a lot of questions on the new 3.8% health care surtax, so we decided to take a few of the most frequently asked questions and answer them here, so that everyone can benefit from them.
Over 100 of the nation's top financial advisors will be at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport Hotel next Monday and Tuesday, March 11-12, for Ed Slott's 2-Day IRA Workshop, Instant IRA Success.
As I was looking for information on pension plans for our U.S. presidents, I came across information on pension plans for members of Congress, the group of individuals we elect to set tax and spending policies for our government. The same group of individuals who miss crucial deadlines for setting policies time after time after time. The same group that gives us phased-in provisions in legislation, temporary provisions that expire or are supposed to expire but get renewed over and over again.
Retirement planning has many nuances, far more than the average investor can adequately negotiate. That is why an educated financial advisor is so important. He or she can help said investor navigate all pitfalls and answer all questions. This week's Slott Report Mailbag looks at some tricky subjects - disclaimers, step transactions, investing options within a Roth. These people didn't have the right answers - but a knowledgeable financial advisor should.
There isn't much you can do now, in 2013, to lower your tax liability for 2012. One possible way, however, can not only help you save money on your 2012 taxes, but can also help you plan for retirement. I'm talking, of course, about a deductible IRA contribution. 2012 IRA contributions can be made up until April 15, 2013 and, if you meet certain criteria, you can take a deduction for that contribution, thus reducing your 2012 tax liability. If you haven't made an IRA contribution for 2012 and are wondering if you can make a deductible IRA contribution now to help reduce your 2012 tax bill, follow the questions below to find your answer.
The IRS just released the updated version of Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education (For use in preparing 2012 Returns). It discusses a relatively unknown savings account called a Coverdell Education Savings Account (known as a CESA or ESA). An ESA is set up to pay the qualified education expenses of a child or student, known as a designated beneficiary.
Prior to 1958, the U.S. did not provide a pension for its former presidents. George Washington retired to Mount Vernon where he resumed his role as a plantation owner/farmer. Abraham Lincoln did not live to collect a pension. His wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, petitioned Congress for a widow's pension in 1870, five years after Lincoln's death. She was awarded the sum of $3,000 a year.
Retirement planning is about time...and it sure does fly. Maximizing your time and planning early (while thinking about how to minimize risk later in life) is quintessential to any successful plan. This week's Slott Report Mailbag examines ages (particularly ages 59 1/2 and age 70 1/2) as they relate to retirement planning.
