You Must Play by the Rules with RMDs and QCDs: Q&A Mailbag
This week's Slott Report Mailbag examines Roth IRA transfers, QCDs and RMDs.
QCD
5 Strategies to Reduce RMDs
Nothing lasts forever. This includes tax deferral on your IRAs. Eventually, Uncle Sam is going to want his share and will require funds to come out of these accounts. That is when required minimum distributions (RMDs) must begin. What if you don’t need the money? What if you don’t want a tax hit? Here are five strategies to reduce your RMDs.
How Your IRA Can Cost You When It Comes to Medicare
You have done the right thing for years. You have diligently saved and accumulated funds in your IRA. At some point, the funds that you have put away for years must come out. Uncle Sam wants his share. When you reach age 70 ½, you must take a required minimum distribution (RMD) for that year and for every year thereafter.
Seven Ways the IRS Knows…
It’s not a good question to be asking, and it’s certainly not the right question to be asking, but one fairly common question asked by both advisors and clients is “How are they going to know?” The “they,” they’re referring to, is the IRS. For those that have ever wondered, here are the answers to seven common “How are they going to know” questions.
Interesting Use of the QCD Strategy
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) are now a permanent part of the tax code. They allow individuals who are at least 70 ½ years old at the time of the transfer to directly transfer IRA funds to a qualifying charity. The individual gets no charitable deduction for these contributed funds, but, they do not have to include the funds in income. It is as if they completely disappear. It’s even better than investing with Bernie Madoff! But wait, there’s more. The QCD transaction can also satisfy a required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year. QCDs are capped at $100,000 per year, per IRA owner.
Things to Tell Your Tax Preparer During Tax Season
Any time you get a 1099-R for a retirement plan transaction, make sure you give it to your tax preparer. The IRS gets copies of your 1099-Rs, so they need to be included on your income tax return. They cannot be ignored, even if they are for a non-taxable transaction. How will your tax preparer know it is a non-taxable transaction? You have to tell him or her.
Do You Have to File an Amended Return?
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably wondered at some point, “Do I need to file an amended return for that?” It is in that spirit that we offer you seven common errors and whether or not you should file an amended return after you discover them.
QCD – Tell Your CPA About It
Did you or your client do a QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution) last year? Make sure the tax preparer knows about it.
Sometimes the Score at Halftime DOES Matter
On Sunday night we were treated to the first ever overtime in Superbowl history. It was a great game (with a lousy outcome – sorry, not a Pats fan). Of course, what most people will remember is that the Patriots finished off what may be the greatest comeback in sports history (that hurts to say), and that it was only the score at the end of the game that mattered. That may be true for the Superbowl, but it’s not always the case. As it turns out, sometimes the score at halftime does matter.
Need to Withdraw From an IRA Before Turning 70 1/2 Years Old? This Weeks Q&A Mailbag and More.
This week's Slott Report Mailbag looks into RMDs, QCDs, and IRA withdrawals prior to turning 70 1/2 years old.
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