HELP A YOUNG PERSON USE SUMMER EARNINGS TO START A ROTH IRA

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Is your child or grandchild working hard this summer? A summer job can be a valuable experience for a young person. Whether it is making smoothies, serving tables, or being a...

Q&AS ON RECENT IRS RMD RELIEF

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport On July 17, we reported that the IRS had issued required minimum distribution (RMD) relief in two situations. First, the Service excused 2023 RMDs for certain IRA (and plan) beneficiaries subject to...

TRUST AS IRA BENEFICIARY – A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC PROBLEM

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport We say in our training manuals that “the SECURE Act obliterates IRA trust planning.” That’s an aggressive word – “obliterates” – but it is accurate. We also shout from the mountain top that...

AGE 55 EXCEPTION AND INHERITED IRAS: TODAY’S SLOTT REPORT MAILBAG

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport   QUESTION: Dear Mr. Slott, I have a client who, during 2022, was separated from employment, turned 55, and took a distribution from his former employer’s 401(k) account. We properly used...

5 WAYS EXCESS IRA CONTRIBUTIONS HAPPEN

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport   You can have too much of a good thing. While it is a good strategy to contribute to an IRA, some contributions are not allowed. When a contribution is not permitted in...

SUMMERTIME SIMILES & METAPHORS – NO SHIRTS OR SHOES REQUIRED

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Oftentimes with these articles, I compare certain retirement account rules to arbitrary items. A creative metaphor or simile can help the reader grasp a concept. For instance, past entries have...

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT ROLL OVER YOUR COMPANY FUNDS TO AN IRA

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport In her June 28, 2023 Slott Report post, Sarah Brenner discussed several reasons why it pays to roll over your retirement plan savings to an IRA. Another option is to keep your funds in the plan. Keep...

WHY YOU SHOULD ROLL OVER YOUR RETIREMENT FUNDS TO AN IRA

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport If you are like most American workers, you will change jobs many times during your lifetime. With a job change, you will have a decision to make. What should you do with the...

DEATH OF AN IRA BENEFICIARY – BEFORE CLAIMING THE ACCOUNT

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport   When an IRA owner dies, we look to the beneficiary form to determine who should receive the IRA funds. After death, there is a transition process as assets are moved into an inherited...

THE TWO TYPES OF 457(B) PLANS

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Some of you are aware that there are two types of section 457(b) retirement plans – governmental plans for state and local municipal workers, and “top hat” plans for highly-paid and managerial...

PRIDE MONTH: 5 RETIREMENT ACCOUNT PLANNING TIPS FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport June is Pride Month. While celebrating, same-sex couples may want to take this opportunity to consider plans for their retirement accounts. Since the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0...

NUA AND SILVER IN YOUR IRA: TODAY’S SLOTT REPORT MAILBAG

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport   Question: I have a large amount of stock from a previous employer in my 401(k).  I had been reinvesting the dividends for the last 23 years since I left the company.  I no longer want to...

IF THE IRS ASK QUESTIONS, CAN YOUR ACTIONS BE JUSTIFIED?

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport A couple of years ago I was asked what the tax consequences are when a Roth IRA is split in divorce. After a pause, I answered honestly: “I have no idea…but will find out.” In fact, there is no...

FIVE QDRO Q&AS

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Although the U.S. divorce rate is in a steady decline, it’s still one of the highest in the world. And with divorces often come QDROs – “qualified domestic relations orders.” A QDRO is a state court...