The Slott Report

How Governmental 457(b) Plans Differ from Top Hat 457(b) Plans

Many sections of the tax code are confusing, but section 457(b) is one of the major offenders. Within that section are the rules for two different types of company retirement plans -- governmental plans, and “top hat” plans for management employees of tax-exempt employers like hospitals.

The Pro-Rata Rule Explained – You are NOT Getting Double Taxed

SCENARIO: Teddy, age 60, has an existing Traditional IRA with a current balance of $93,000. This is all deductible, pre-tax money. Teddy would like to contribute to a Roth IRA, but his income level exceeds the Roth IRA income threshold. To skirt this problem, Teddy makes a 2021 $7,000 non-deductible contribution to his Traditional IRA with the idea to then covert the $7,000 as a Backdoor Roth.

5 IRA Rules For Which We Are Thankful in 2021

Thanksgiving 2021 is upon us. This is the time of the year when we gather together and express our gratitude. When it comes to our retirement accounts, we often complain about the negatives. There are restrictions that are not logical and rules that are complex and confusing.

RMD Rules And Roth Conversions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag

Question:Can someone take an in-service withdrawal from their 401(k) and directly transfer it to their IRA, then take a QCD from the IRA to satisfy the RMD amount attributed to the 401(k)? I am 72 years old and I am still working, but own more than 5% of the company; therefore I can’t use the “still working” exception.

Restorative Payments

As we careen into the holiday season, there remains a deceitful underbelly of dirtbags operating their typical scams. Giant inflatable Christmas decorations in front of your home or a menorah in the window will not dissuade criminals from working a dishonest angle. “Good cheer” is the perfect cover for bad deeds. (See: The Grinch.)

Bigger 401(k) Contributions Coming in 2022

The IRS has released the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement accounts for 2022. As expected, due to inflation in the economy, many of the dollar limit restrictions on retirement accounts will increase next year.

Clarifying Some Roth Conversion Misconceptions

As Roth IRA conversions become more popular, questions and misconceptions abound. In no particular order, here are a dozen Roth IRA conversion facts, issues, and mistakes to avoid:1. Anyone with an IRA can do a Roth conversion. There are no income limits. You can have $0 earned income and do a Roth conversion. You can make a million dollars and convert.