by Kenny | Apr 2, 2025
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst When you file for bankruptcy, one thing you usually don’t have to worry about is protecting your IRA funds from your bankruptcy creditors. That’s because, in just about every case, all of your IRA (and Roth IRA) monies are off limits....
by Kenny | Mar 31, 2025
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education There is still time! You can still make a prior-year (2024) IRA or Roth IRA contribution up to the tax filing due date, April 15, 2025. For most people, there is no extension beyond that date, regardless of...
by Kenny | Mar 27, 2025
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: In the article “Why You Should Take Your 2025 RMD Now,” the following caught my eye … “Or, maybe you are charitably inclined and looking to satisfy your RMD by doing a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). This will...
by Kenny | Mar 26, 2025
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst If a person under age 59½ takes a withdrawal from his IRA or workplace plan, there is a 10% early withdrawal penalty…unless an exception applies. There are currently 20 exceptions, with a 21st on the way. Here are those exceptions,...
by Kenny | Mar 24, 2025
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst We continue to get lots of questions about the new “super catch-up” contribution for retirement plan and SIMPLE IRA participants who are ages 60-63. Here are answers to your top 12 questions: 1. When does the super catch-up...
by Kenny | Mar 20, 2025
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I cannot find the indexed number for IRA bankruptcy protection for 2025-2028. It is $1,512,350 currently, but it is scheduled to increase on April 1, 2025. Do you know what it will be? Mike ANSWER: The updated IRA...
by Kenny | Mar 17, 2025
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Here is an all-too-common situation that seems counterintuitive: A participant in a 401(k) retires and must take his required minimum distribution (RMD). This person requests that his entire 401(k) plan balance be directly...
by Kenny | Mar 13, 2025
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi, In a recent blog post, you addressed the complicated rules for a 401(k) to Roth IRA rollover. I have a similar question as it relates to a pre-tax IRA conversion to a Roth IRA. My client is a 95 year-old woman who has a...
by Kenny | Mar 12, 2025
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Everyone knows that April 15, 2025, is the deadline for filing 2024 income tax returns. But April 15 is also a crucial deadline if you made too many 401(k) deferrals in 2024. If you don’t fix the error by that date, the tax consequences...
by Kenny | Mar 10, 2025
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Do you have a Roth IRA? If you do, there will very likely come a time when you want to take a distribution from that account. The distribution rules for taxation of Roth IRA distributions can be complicated,...
by Kenny | Mar 6, 2025
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hello, If a person is turning 73 years old in March, s/he would be required to take required minimum distributions for the year. Can a person do Roth Conversion prior to turning age 73 (say in February)? Does the...
by Kenny | Feb 20, 2025
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Dear Ed Slott and America’s IRA Experts, I have a rollover traditional IRA that was set up when I left my last job. I am no longer employed, so I don’t have any earned income. My husband works full time, and our filing...
by Kenny | Feb 19, 2025
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst One important provision of the 2022 SECURE 2.0 law is the requirement that most new 401(k) and 403(b) plans must institute automatic enrollment. This rule is effective for plan years beginning after December 31, 2024. A “plan year”...
by Kenny | Feb 17, 2025
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Tax season is upon us! This is the time of year when many people consider making a contribution to an IRA. If you are thinking about doing so, here are 10 things you need to know. You can still make an IRA...
by Kenny | Feb 13, 2025
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: I just inherited an IRA from my sister. She died at age 74 and I am age 78. Am I required to use the 10-year rule, or can I stretch distributions from the inherited account over my life expectancy? I am...
by Kenny | Feb 12, 2025
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst On January 21, Ichiro Suzuki was elected to Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. It takes 75% of the writer’s support to gain entry, and Ichiro was chosen on 393 out of 394 ballots....
by Kenny | Feb 11, 2025
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Here’s one question that keeps coming up: If I retire in the year when I turn 73 (or older) and want to directly roll over my 401(k) funds to an IRA, do I have to first take a required minimum distribution (RMD) from my 401(k)?...
by Kenny | Feb 6, 2025
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: Am I correct that a non-spouse Roth IRA beneficiary does NOT have a yearly required minimum distribution (RMD) over the 10-year period? Ken ANSWER: Ken, You are correct. Non-spouse beneficiaries of Roth IRAs that are...
by Kenny | Feb 5, 2025
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The deadline for most retirement account owners to take their 2025 required minimum distribution (RMD) is December 31, 2025. However, there are good reasons why you should take your RMD now instead of...
by Kenny | Feb 3, 2025
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Just over 10 years ago, in June 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously, 9-0, that inherited IRAs are NOT protected in bankruptcy under federal law. The primary issue before the Court was whether an inherited IRA is a...
-Darren Leavitt, CFA It’s been a difficult month for investors, and sentiment indicators tell that story. Wall Street appeared poised… Read more: Weekly Market Commentary
