The past few years have been a roller coaster ride for many retirement savers. After performing well for several years, the broader investment markets have been hit hard since the beginning of 2022. Now the price of gas, food, housing, and other goods and services continue to rise, and for many of us, something needs to give.
But that “something” shouldn’t be your retirement savings.
Read MoreIRA owners sometimes contribute more than they are permitted. Or they may contribute only to later discover that they cannot deduct the contribution. And sometimes they simply want to take the contribution out for some other reason. Whatever the situation, IRA owners—and financial organizations—must follow detailed rules for excess removals.
Read MoreWhen spouse beneficiaries come in to settle their inherited retirement accounts, you and your staff may want to share with them how the proposed RMD regulations could affect their financial decisions.
Read MoreThere are fundamental differences between correcting SEP and SIMPLE plan excesses, which are generally created by employer contributions, and correcting Traditional and Roth IRA excesses, which are created by the account owner.
Read MoreOver the next several months, we will be featuring stories in The Link newsletter on the pandemic’s impact on retirement readiness. This series is not for us to look behind us at what we may have lost; instead, it’s meant to help us look ahead. We want to support our business partners as we all navigate the continued impact of this pandemic. We want to continue to encourage and promote a healthy approach to retirement, health, and emergency savings for all ages, from the retiring Baby Boomer generation to the teenage Gen Z.
Read MoreIf your clients took CRDs in 2020, they still have time to make repayments to their qualified retirement plan or eligible IRA. Because a relatively small number of qualified individuals took CRDs in 2020 you may handle few CRD repayments, but their proper reporting is no less important for their infrequency.
Read MoreThe 2021 tax season is almost over. We say almost because most financial organizations still have one last report to file, IRS Form 5498, IRA Contribution Information, which must be filed with the IRS by May 31. Do you know what to do after the Form 5498s have been sent to the IRS and to IRA owners and errors are discovered on the form? We will walk you through the corrections process.
Read MoreIndividuals may simultaneously convert Traditional IRA assets and roll over pretax 401(k) plan assets to a Roth IRA. The transactions are relatively straightforward from a compliance perspective. Neither are subject to income restrictions or the one-per-12-month rollover rule. Both types of transactions can be done directly, which eliminates concerns over the 60-day rule.
Read MoreSome exceptions apply universally across both qualified retirement plans (QRPs) and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Some exceptions, however, are unique to QRPs and some are unique to IRAs.
Read MoreEffective April 1, 2022, the maximum aggregate bankruptcy exemption amount for IRAs increased from $1,362,800 to $1,512,350.
Read MoreWhen the IRS released its highly anticipated proposed regulations related to required minimum distributions (RMDs) in late February, the 275-page document included a new interpretation of the 10-year rule for certain IRA and retirement plan beneficiaries.
Read MoreMaintaining a compliant IRA program can feel like a moving target for many financial organizations. Even if you feel confident in the checks and balances built into your daily IRA operations, mistakes happen. These errors can become costly, especially if the IRS comes calling with an audit.
Read MoreFor earnings in a Roth IRA to be tax-free, a distribution must be “qualified.” Find out the differences between qualified and nonqualified Roth IRA distributions.
Read MoreThe IRS issued a news release on April 1, 2022, announcing the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for victims of severe storms, flooding, and landslides in Puerto Rico.
Read MoreWe have guidance regarding certain changes brought about by the SECURE Act. On February 23, 2022, the IRS released proposed regulations that revise the existing required minimum distribution (RMD) regulations and other related regulations.
Read MoreWhile most of your IRA beneficiaries will appreciate that they have inherited an IRA from a friend or loved one, others may be less than thrilled at the news. As an IRA administrator, you should know that everyone has the right to refuse an inheritance, including an IRA.
Read MoreHandling beneficiary distributions is one of the most complex facets of administering IRAs. Separating beneficiary assets as soon as you are notified of an IRA owner’s death may help your financial organization not only ensure that beneficiaries preserve their options but also stay compliant with year-of-death reporting requirements.
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