Jeff Levine

3 Ways Your IRA is Not Like a Casino

We are in Las Vegas this week for our 2-Day IRA Workshop. Of course, the mere mention of Las Vegas conjures images of big, lavish casinos, so that got us thinking. Are there parallels between your IRA and a casino? Sure there are some, but the reality is (as you might expect), there are some pretty big differences. Here are just three of them.

Answering Reader Questions About the President’s Budget Proposals

Last week,we detailed the 14 proposals in the President’s budget that, if implemented, would have a direct impact on retirement accounts. Since that time we/ve been flooded with questions and comments about the proposals, how they would work and what our feelings about them are. Here are Jeffrey Levine's responses to a handful of those inquiries.

President Obama’s 2016 Budget Takes Aim At Your Retirement

On Monday, February 2, 2015, President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget was unveiled to the American public, along with the Department of Treasury’s Greenbook, which provides further explanation and details of the proposals in the President’s budget. In truth, the President’s budget is really more of a “wish-list” than anything else, but here's a good indication of where the administration is headed when it comes to retirement planning.

The Tax Consequences on Your Super Bowl XLIX Betting

If you’re one of the millions of Americans that will have some type of money riding on this weekend’s big game, your gambling wager could have both tax and IRA planning consequences. We break down what happens if you win or lose plus a prediction for Super Bowl XLIX.

Estate Tax or Step-up in Basis…Pick One!

Today, federal estate tax has become a non-issue for all but the wealthiest of American families. As has been the case since the early 1980s, spouses can generally leave an unlimited amount of assets to one another without such a transfer being subject to estate tax. Most transfers to someone other than a spouse also avoid estate tax under current law. But will it stay that way?

The Case For and Against Taking Your RMD Early in the Year

One of the most common questions that an IRA owner subject to RMDs (required minimum distributions) asks is, "When should I take my RMD? Is it better to take the RMD early in the year? Later in the year?" There’s really no right or wrong answer, but rather, depending on your personal situation, either might make sense. Here are a few factors to consider when making your decision.

The Power of Compounding: Start 2015 with an IRA Contribution

The power of compounding. It's value over time is illustrated by IRA Technical Expert Jeffrey Levine in this IRAtv video. Jeffrey details the IRA and Roth IRA contribution parameters and looks at how making a contribution early in the year can benefit you over the long term.

Counting Down to the New Year IRA-Style

Today is the last day of 2014 already. That means we’re just hours away from New Year’s Eve parties, talk of resolutions we’re not really going to keep, and perhaps, a bit of the old bubbly. And of course, no New Year’s celebration is complete without a final countdown. So with that in mind, the final 2014 Slott Report article counts down, 10 to 1, to the new year IRA-style.

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