The Slott Report

The Pro-Rata Rule and Minor IRA Beneficiaries: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag

Question:Dear Mr. Slott,I made $40,000 additional non-deductible (after taxes) contributions to my IRA many years ago. I have filed IRS Form 8606 every year informing the IRS of the contributions. I would like to withdraw the $40,000 this year so that when I have to take my RMDs next year, the reporting to the IRS will be simpler.

IRA Contribution Limit Raised to $7,000 for 2024

The IRS has released cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for 2024. Many IRA limits will increase next year.Higher IRA ContributionsThe limit on annual contributions to an IRA is increased to $7,000 for 2024, up from $6,500 in 2023. The IRA catch up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over was changed to now include a COLA under the SECURE 2.0 but remains $1,000 for 2024.

Roth IRA Distribution Ordering Rules – Keep It Simple

Within the 400-page Ed Slott advisor training manual, we include a basic chart that outlines the Roth IRA distribution ordering rules and the availability of those specific dollars. When presenting the material to a live audience, I always say it is my favorite page.

The Still-Working Exception: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag

Question:We had a client who was 80 years old and still working when he died. He did not own more than 5% of the company. As such, he was not taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from the plan at his death. Our client named his son as his sole beneficiary.

James Caan’s Estate Gets Whacked Over the Same-Property Rollover Rule

You may not be familiar with the tax code’s “same-property rule” that applies to IRA-to-IRA (and Roth IRA-to-Roth IRA) rollovers. The rule requires that the property received in an IRA distribution must be the same property that is rolled over. If you receive cash, you have to roll over cash.

Common Confusions with the Once-Per-Year Rollover Rule

The once-per-year IRA rollover rule sounds pretty easy to understand. You may only do one IRA-to-IRA (or Roth IRA-to-Roth IRA rollover) per year (365 days). However, this rule is often misunderstood.One common confusion about the once-per-year rollover rule is whether multiple distributions or multiple deposits will trip you up.

“Estate Bypass” – Spousal Rollover When the Estate is Beneficiary

An estate can become the beneficiary of a person’s IRA in a couple of ways. First, the estate could be named outright as the beneficiary on the beneficiary form. This is not recommended. Why? One reason is that a non-designated beneficiary (like an estate), must follow certain restrictive payout rules.

IRA Mid-Term Exam

The Investment Company Institute (ICI) is an association representing mutual fund companies and similar investment companies. Each year, ICI conducts a survey of the prevalence of IRAs in American households.