retirement planning

Year-End RMD Reminders

Time is running out to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) due for this year. Many companies have cut-off dates for distributions, so if you have not yet taken your RMD you need to act now. The penalty for not taking a distribution is 50% of the amount not taken. It must be reported on Form 5329 and if it is not reported, the statute of limitations does not start to run. Following are answers to questions that come up frequently at this time of year.

QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution) Rules

QCDs – Qualified Charitable Distributions – are a means of transferring IRA assets to a charity. The transfer is not taxable to the account owner and a charitable deduction cannot be taken. These are the basic rules for a QCD follow.

10 Questions to Ask YOUR Financial Advisor

As is our custom at the end of each year, here are 10 questions you MUST ask your financial advisor. This list is a great starting point when questioning your financial advisor (remember, he or she works for you!).

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Retirement Plans (1 of 2)

This is the first piece of a two-part article delving into 10 things you probably didn’t know about retirement plans. While many of the rules applicable to retirement plans are easy to remember, there are some important ones that are not always at the forefront of your thought process, and may impact your financial well-being. We present some of those here, and will follow up with others next we

What 2012 IRA, Tax, Social Security Changes Mean For YOU

Social Security and Supplementary Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries are receiving a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2012, the first time this has happened in several years. While this may sound like a good thing, it’s actually a “mixed bag” for a couple of reasons.

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