There is no doubt we have written about this topic in past Slott Report entries. Possibly many times. There is also no doubt that people continue to make this same error, over and over again. Such was the case recently when the Ed Slott team visited with 150-plus financial advisors from across the nation in Boston.
Question:
Hello,
I am involved with a traditional non-spouse inherited IRA that was passed from my mother to myself and two siblings in 2022. My mother was 84 when she passed and was taking RMDs.
I understand the new legislation passed under the SECURE Act requires any such traditional inherited IRA requires full distribution by the end of the 10-year period following her death. I fully understand the law change.
The “once-per-year” rollover rule is one of those IRA rules that has serious tax consequences and cannot be fixed if violated. Breaking the rule results in a taxable distribution and a 10% early distribution penalty if you’re under age 59 ½. Plus, any rolled over funds are considered excess IRA contributions that are subject to a 6% annual penalty unless timely corrected.
One of the more controversial provisions of the new SECURE 2.0 law concerns 401(k) catch-up contributions.
Most 401(k) plans – as well as 403(b) and governmental 457(b) plans – permit employees who are age 50 or older to make catch-up contributions. The limit for catch-ups in 2023 is $7,500, allowing for total elective deferrals of up to $30,000.
Surprisingly, the rules governing what happens when an ex-spouse acquires a Roth IRA after divorce are unclear. There are no specific directions in the Tax Code or in the regulations. However, there is definitive guidance for a spouse who inherits a Roth IRA due to death. It makes sense to look to these rules after death for direction on how to process a Roth IRA transfer after a divorce. Of course, with no definitive route, this is only speculation until the IRS provides a roadmap.
Question:
Hello,
I’ve been a follower of Ed’s expertise for over 10 years. The information has always been helpful and clearly explained.
At this time, I’m looking to help a client minimize her taxes. She recently inherited an IRA from her father. She has taken the “Stretch IRA” option and is now receiving her required distributions.
Can she utilize a Qualified Charitable Distribution to her church (verified 501c3) to reduce her tax liability and still maintain the stretch IRA?
Answer:
Yes. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) are available to beneficiaries.
A time machine would be cool to have. Even if it only worked on financial assets, it sure would come in handy. One might jump into the future and see if an investment paid off, or you could look around to see where the smart money succeeded. And if the original investment turned out to be a loser, you could go back in time and sell it – or never even buy it in the first place.
Too bad financial time machines don’t exist. Bummer.
While literal time machines have yet to be invented and we can’t quantum leap,
We constantly see questions regarding the distribution rules for Roth IRAs. Personally, I’ve always thought that the failure to understand these rules prevents many from truly appreciating the benefits of these accounts.
This week's Slott Report Mailbag answers readers' questions about avoiding converting after-tax contributions to a Roth IRA and aggregating RMDs.
It has been widely reported that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated the ability to recharacterize Roth IRA conversions as of January 1, 2018. On the other hand, it kept the ability to recharacterize IRA and Roth IRA contributions. Despite all of the above, an unanswered question on Roth IRA conversions done in 2017 lingered. At the time of those conversions the taxpayer had the ability to recharacterize the conversion up to October 15, 2018. Was that option still available to them?
