It’s December already, and you’ve just realized that you haven't been withholding enough income taxes so far this year and/or you haven't been making the proper quarterly estimated payments in 2014. You will likely owe a penalty unless you do something to fix the problem before year end. That's where your IRA comes in. We explain a trick to reduce, or even eliminate, any estimated tax penalties you might otherwise owe.
Yesterday, the IRS released IRS Announcement 2014-32, providing updated guidance on the once-per-year IRA rollover rule.
This guidance is extremely important and impacts anyone with more than one IRA and Roth IRA... combined!
If you hold illiquid assets inside an IRA, here are three potential solutions to consider that can be used to help you avoid any RMD problems once you turn 70 ½.
A recent survey by TIAA-CREF revealed some startling data. Over one-third of those surveyed either did not know what an IRA is or the difference between an IRA and an employer-sponsored plan. That’s not good news and needs to be fixed. So, with that in mind, below are 5 key differences between IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans.
If you've ever questioned whether a Roth IRA contribution or conversion was right for you or not, then chances are you've wondered if there was a simple calculator that could take all your pertinent data, analyze it, and then, like a “Magic 8 Ball" of Roth planning, spit out a definitive "yes" or "no," telling you what the correct course of action is. But is it possible that the calculator is lying to you?
Tax free just has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? There are many types of tax-free income. Life insurance proceeds, qualified Roth IRA distributions and municipal bond interest come to mind as three of the most common sources. If these various types of income are all “tax free” though, does that mean that they all have the same, seemingly non-existent, impact on your tax return? Maybe, maybe not. Consider the following.
IRAs are U.S.-based retirement accounts. Today, however, more than ever we live in a globalized world. Many U.S. citizens work, sometimes for many years, overseas. The reverse is also true. And many of our country’s citizens still have many close friends and family overseas. Put all that together and today, it’s possible that you may have questions about how the IRA rules work when either you or your beneficiaries live abroad. With that in mind, below we tackle three of the most common questions.
Most people are familiar with the basic rules for the pre-tax salary deferrals and employer contributions that are the most frequent types of money found in 401(k) and similar plans. Few, however, are aware of the rules for after-tax contributions to the “traditional side” of such plans and the unique rules and planning opportunities that can present themselves. That’s begun to change over the last week, however, since the release of IRS Notice 2014-54, which provided exceptionally favorable guidance for people with after-tax money in their 401(k) and similar plans.
Moments ago the IRS released new guidance – IRS Notice 2014-54 – regarding distributions from company retirement plans when there are both pre and post-tax money in those accounts. For years now, one question has plagued both plan participants and financial advisors alike… “If someone has a 401(k) with pre and post-tax money, can they take a distribution and roll (convert) just the post-tax money to a Roth IRA tax-free, while rolling the remaining pre-tax money over to a traditional IRA?” What's the answer now?
Yesterday the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a study on IRA balances accumulated as of 2011. The report provides some fascinating information about the number of people who have IRAs, as well as the staggering amounts that some people have accumulated in them. While there are many points that can be taken away from the study, here are three that may be of particular interest.
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