The Slott Report

The holiday season is upon us. It is time for friends, family and financial security. The answers to these consumer questions can help you wrap up your year-end planning.

Your client is making contributions to an employer plan and he/she wants to know if its possible to also contribute to a traditional IRA or to a Roth IRA.

The holiday season is upon us. It is time for friends, family and financial security. The answers to these consumer questions can help you wrap up your year-end planning.

Your client is over 70 ½ and is still working. Does he have to take an RMD? The answer is, it depends.

IRAs, IRAs, IRAs. We have a full plate (leftovers from Thanksgiving) of IRA questions in this week's Mailbag. These questions touch on topics such as SEP IRAs, inherited IRAs and naming the trust as the beneficiary of IRAs.

IRS has released guidance on the conversion of 401(k) and 403(b) plan assets to Roth 401(k) or Roth 403(b) accounts in Notice 2010-84. This guidance also applies to governmental 457(b) plans beginning January 1, 2011. Here are the highlights: Plan participants, spouses, and alternate payees who are current or former spouses can do the in-plan Roth conversion.

The holiday season is a time for checklists. The good news is you don't have to make this list, but make sure to check it twice. Ed Slott created this year-end IRA checklist just for ALL OF OUR LOYAL READERS. You can read about many of the often-overlooked year-end items that could lead to a retirement savings windfall. Guard the money you have worked and saved for this holiday season.

This week's Slott Report Mailbag discusses the main IRA topic that will dominate year-end planning...a 2010 Roth conversion.

This week's Slott Report Mailbag discusses some complex, timely issues involving the myths about Roth conversions and the ability to stretch the tax paid on a Roth Conversion over three years. Can that be done?

This week's Slott Report Mailbag discusses some complex, timely issues involving RMDs and what happens if someone who takes a Roth Conversion with the intent of spreading the tax over 2011 and 2012 dies suddenly.