Aug 1, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi Ed, I have heard conflicting reports. Would the proposed SECURE Act affect Roth IRAs? Or, is the elimination of the stretch on for Traditional IRAs? Many thanks! Chad Answer: Hi Chad, There does seem to be a lot of...
Jul 31, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst You may wonder about naming your trust as your IRA beneficiary. For some that may be the way to go, but you should be careful. Trusts are not for everyone. There are trade-offs and consequences. Trusts as IRA beneficiaries create...
Jul 31, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
America’s senior citizens have their backs to the wall financially a new study confirms. Professor John Pottow, a law professor at the University of Michigan, reports that the rate of United States (U.S.) seniors entering into bankruptcy is on the rise. Pottow’s study...
Jul 30, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap for the week ending 7/26/2019 -Darren Leavitt, CFA It was an upbeat market last week as investors continued to applaud the majority of earnings results. A better than expected print on 2nd quarter GDP also aided the positive sentiment. Markets were also...
Jul 29, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Sometimes it pays to go solo. For self-employed individuals looking to maximize their nest egg, a solo 401(k) plan — also known as an “individual 401(k)” or a “uni-k” — may be a better choice than a SIMPLE or SEP IRA. Who Can...
Jul 24, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst By the look of everyone’s Facebook and Instagram photos, it appears we are all flying Gulfstream jets around the world, relaxing on far-away beaches and lighting Cuban cigars with twisted-up $100-dollar bills. Is the economy really...
Jul 24, 2019 | Blog, Financial Services Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
Financial stress is the number one source of stress for employees, according to a Price Waterhouse Coopers 2019 survey. Financial matters outrank any other source of stress combined, including health and relationships. Retirement can be a key driver in that stress...
Jul 23, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap for the Week ending 7/19/2019 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Despite a relatively good start to 2nd quarter earnings season, the major indices retreated last week. Part of the pullback was likely due to the realization that a 50 basis point cut is not likely at...
Jul 22, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst It is not unusual for many workers today to have a side gig. They may have job, and it might even be full time, but it’s still not enough to make ends meet. So, they operate their own business on the side. The extra income can be...
Jul 18, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I read your November 29, 2017 explanation of rollovers and the time limitations. But my issue is still unclear to me. In December 2018, my husband made a transfer from his 401(k) to an IRA to a Roth IRA. We intended to do the...
Jul 17, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
You need to know how they work, because many financial planners recommend them to their clients for retirement planning purposes. In fact, one study shows that almost 90 % of planners recommend them. Does that mean you need them? Well, you can decide if you do, and if...
Jul 17, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you who participate in a company retirement plan may have heard that the plan is “qualified” or “tax-qualified.” That sounds reassuring, but what exactly does it mean? In other words, what qualifies a qualified plan to be...
Jul 16, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Markets Hit New Highs in the Wake of Last Week’s Fed Remarks Chairman Powell walked the line between giving too much and too little in the way of monetary accommodation during prepared remarks to Congress last week. Markets have responded positively and are at...
Jul 15, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k) plans are incredibly popular, and why wouldn’t they be? Both offer tax-free earnings and allow the account owner to pass tax-free dollars to their beneficiaries. However, despite the ubiquity of Roth...
Jul 11, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have read your updates and shared information regarding the SECURE bill that is in the Senate currently. The information discusses the non-spouse beneficiaries of IRAs will need to take distributions over 10 years as a...
Jul 10, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst When driving your car, most of the time you’re going forward. But sometimes, like when you back into a parking spot in anticipation of beating the traffic after a sporting event or concert, you must shift gears to reverse. So it is with...
Jul 10, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
Retirement is a stage in life that should be looked forward to and celebrated. But to get there, you have to plan accordingly. Like learning a new skill, planning for retirement is a long-term process that includes countless course corrections and practice along the...
Jul 8, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap week ending 7/5/2019 -Darren Leavitt, CFA I hope everyone had a great and memorable 4th of July holiday. Despite the holiday-shortened week, markets were quite busy. Markets surged on Monday in reaction to the outcome of the US/China trade talks at the...
Jul 8, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst ‘Tis the season for bee stings and mosquito bites. Just like those summer irritations, 401(k) plan loans have their own annoying rules that can make them risky transactions. Fortunately, a provision of the 2017 tax reform law applied a...
Jul 3, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Happy 4th of July to all the loyal readers of the Slott Report! This summer holiday is a time for barbecues. This is a time when all ages come together to celebrate. Families will gather to grill hot dogs, roast marshmallows and watch...
Jul 3, 2019 | Blog, Financial, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
Take it from a professor who has spent the last 10 years focusing on the distribution phase of retirement, here are some lessons to live by. As a professor at The American College of Financial Services and the co-creator of the Retirement Income Certified Professional...
Jul 2, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
07/01/2019 Below is a snapshot of last week’s market performance and what to watch in the weeks ahead from Chadd Mason, Cabana CEO and co-founder. Markets Rally with Hopes of a U.S.-China Trade Deal Last week, and the entire month of June for that matter, ended...
Jul 1, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Did you inherit an IRA from someone who is NOT your spouse? This is not uncommon. Maybe you inherited from a sibling or a parent or a friend. If this is your situation, you will want to proceed with caution. For nonspouse beneficiaries...
Jun 27, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Your advice, articles, publications and books I’ve purchased over the years have been great and most informative. Great job! My question is with regards to NUA – I retired recently (age 66) and had a company 401(k) to...
Jun 27, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
Fixed vs. variable annuities In a fixed annuity, the insurance company guarantees the principal and a minimum rate of interest. In other words, as long as the insurance company is financially sound, the money you have in a fixed annuity will grow and will not drop in...
Jun 26, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Prior to 2002, a default option for paying out required minimum distributions from an inherited IRA to a beneficiary was the 5-year rule. If the IRA owner died before their required beginning date and an election was not made in a...
Jun 24, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Roth IRAs are a wonderful way to save for retirement. A person can sock away $6,000 a year (plus another $1,000 if they are age 50 or older) and the earnings will grow tax free. Plus, most custodians allow Roth IRA dollars to be...
Jun 24, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap Week ending 6/21/2019 -Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets continued to rally last week and hit record highs on dovish tones echoed from several central banks and on constructive headlines around the upcoming meeting with President Trump and President...
Jun 21, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
June 17th, 2019 Below is a snapshot of last week’s market performance and what to watch in the weeks ahead from Chadd Mason, Cabana CEO and co-founder The rebound from the May selloff continues. After dropping 6.4% in May, the S&P 500 has reclaimed 4.5% of...
Jun 20, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I set up a Roth outside my employee retirement plan. I retired on 10-01-2018. I set up an automatic contribution to my Roth IRA from my checking account and, up to this day, still continue to contribute to the Roth IRA ....
Jun 20, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
For nearly a decade, the month of June has served as Annuity Awareness Month, a time to help financial professionals and pre-retirees appreciate the value of a diversified retirement portfolio. During this month, organizations like IALC encourage those planning for...
Jun 19, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The road to retirement is long. Along the way you may need or want to move your retirement funds. Maybe you are leaving a job or maybe you are just looking for a new investment strategy. When the time comes to make a move, you will...
Jun 17, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Every single month since January of 2014, Billy Joel has headlined a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. Demand for tickets to see the Piano Man has not waned. Ticket sell out quickly. Millions of fans will attest that Billy Joel,...
Jun 14, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I am over 70.5 and I have to take an IRA minimum distribution or else pay taxes and penalties on scheduled amount. My question is – can I take the mandatory distribution which I will pay taxes on anyway and then...
Jun 14, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
Bill Benson and his wife had planned to fortify their retirement savings once their children left home, so they’d have enough to travel and relax. But at 68, Benson is still working full-time, and that empty nest he envisioned isn’t so empty. Benson’s eldest daughter...
Jun 14, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
June 10th, 2019 Below is a snapshot of last week’s market performance and what to watch in the weeks ahead from Chadd Mason, Cabana CEO and co-founder. Last week’s commentary noted that the stock market was at a critical juncture. All relevant U.S. indexes had...
Jun 12, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst 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...
Jun 10, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The pro-rata rule is the formula used to determine how much of a distribution is taxable when an IRA account consists of both pre-tax and after-tax (basis) dollars. The rule requires that all SEP, SIMPLE, and traditional IRAs be...
Jun 6, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am a financial advisor and want to be clear on something. If a client has a SIMPLE IRA that they are contributing to and have an IRA and are 70.5, can they aggregate the distributions for both and remove from the IRA? Wanda...
Jun 5, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst When it comes time to calculate your required minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA, you may wonder which life expectancy table to use. Last updated by the IRS back in 2002, there are three possible tables for IRA owners and...
Jun 5, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
This year has been an exciting time for retirement policy: Just over the horizon sit several potential updates to the laws governing how Americans plan for life after work. In May, the House of Representatives passed the most significant piece of retirement...
Jun 4, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
June 3rd, 2019 Below is a snapshot of last week’s market performance and what to watch in the weeks ahead from Chadd Mason, Cabana CEO and co-founder. The U.S. equity market selloff has continued for the third straight week. All major indexes are now below their...
Jun 3, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst SIMPLE IRAs are not so simple. One factor that makes SIMPLE IRAs tricky is that they are subject to unique rules, found nowhere else in the tax code, such as the two-year holding period. Two-Year Holding Period When does the two-year...
Jun 1, 2019 | Market Review and Outlook
Market Review May 2019 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Equity markets did an about-face in May with the S&P 500 inking its first monthly loss of 2109. Investors fled risk assets for safe-haven US treasuries as trade negotiations between the US and China soured. Trade...
May 30, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: IRA HELP, I’ve got a client who is retiring early. He has roughly $1,000,000 in an IRA now which he could initiate a 72(t) with. That will not generate enough cash flow to support their needs. He also has an additional...
May 29, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
DES MOINES, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The simulations have been run and the numbers have been crunched: annuities help improve retirement outcomes compared to investments alone. “Workers show strong interest in guaranteed income1, but one-third of individuals...
May 29, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The IRS has announced the 2020 inflation-adjusted limits for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). How an HSA Works An HSA is a tax-free account that is used to pay for qualified medical expenses that aren’t covered by insurance. It is...
May 28, 2019 | Blog, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
LONDON — In this city known for grumps and complainers, the happiest people are those with a pension and those too young to understand how a pension works, according to Britain’s first-ever national happiness survey, out last week. Results further show that people...
May 28, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Employer-sponsored retirement plans, like 401(k) and 403(b) plans, have some definitive benefits vs. IRA accounts. For example, company plans provide an unlimited amount of protection from bankruptcy, while IRA contributions and...
May 28, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap week ending 5.24.19 Darren Leavitt, CFA The markets continued to focus on the potential for more trade conflict between the US and China. Conflicting headlines throughout the week brought more volatility. Cyclical stocks took the brunt of last week’s...
May 23, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a question about avoiding RMDs for a still-working 73 year-old in a 401k plan. I realize most people my age are looking forward to retirement, but I love what I do and am delighted to continue to be able to work. I am...
May 22, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst After a recent Ed Slott conference in Dallas, Texas, I found myself sitting in a hotel café, surrounded by travel bags, having pizza with a few meeting attendees with later flights. “Anyone want to share an Uber to the airport?”...
May 20, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market recap week ending 5.17.19 Darren Leavitt, CFA Investors were taken for a wild ride last week as trade negotiations between the US and China came to a stalemate. Additionally, increased tensions in the Middle East put a bid into oil, which closed up 1.7% but...
May 16, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst If you are planning on doing a 60-day rollover with your IRA funds, be sure you understand same-property rule. This is one of the lesser known rules that apply to rollovers and is one many taxpayers find confusing. For IRA-to-IRA or...
May 16, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I recently inherited a traditional IRA from my mother. I mistakenly asked for a lump sum to be paid to me by the custodian. I realized after the fact that I wanted to set up a stretch IRA. I haven’t cashed the check yet....
May 15, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
While annuities have long been a viable retirement option, those new to retirement planning may discover a bit of misinformation about them. If you’re considering annuity-based products—such as fixed index annuities—as a way to boost the diversity of your retirement...
May 15, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst With college costs almost certain to keep increasing each year, parents need to explore every possible tool available to meet the challenge of paying for higher education. Roth IRAs are not just for retirement savings. They can play a...
May 13, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market recap week ending 5/10/19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets had their worst week of the year due to concerns regarding the US-China trade negotiations. The week started with steep declines after President Trump indicated that tariffs on 200 billion in goods would...
May 13, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Roth IRAs are extremely popular, and why wouldn’t they be? Tax-free earnings over a lifetime can add up to a serious chunk of change. However, in order to receive those tax-free earnings, rules must be followed and timeframes must...
May 9, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Good morning, We have a client that retired on 1/2/2019 and he was over 70.5. He was not required to take his RMD in 2018 from his 401k since he was still working (he did take his 2018 RMD from his IRA). He rolled...
May 8, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst To discourage early access to amounts invested in IRAs and company retirement plans, the IRS imposes a 10% early distribution penalty on withdrawals before age 59 ½. Even though Roth IRAs consist of after-tax contributions, the...
May 8, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
Droves of retiring baby boomers are driving change in late-life transportation and travel. Health care and technology innovations are helping retirees enjoy active lifestyles. Today, boomers are the longest living generation in history and remain at the forefront of...
May 6, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst In the wake of tax reform, more IRA owners are making use of the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) strategy. This is a side effect of fewer people choosing to itemize and instead going with the larger standard deduction. If you...
May 6, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap Week Ending 5.3.19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Financial markets yielded mixed results last week as investors endured a choppy week of trading. Q1 earnings reports continued to produce better than expected results. Investors focused on solid results out of...
May 6, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst In the wake of tax reform, more IRA owners are making use of the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) strategy. This is a side effect of fewer people choosing to itemize and instead going with the larger standard deduction. If you...
May 1, 2019 | Market Review and Outlook
Market Review April 2019 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Global risk assets continued to rally in April. First quarter earnings are coming in better than expected, Central banks around the globe remain accommodative, economic data saw improvement, US & China trade...
May 1, 2019 | Blog, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
10,000 simulations highlight impact of guaranteed income for retirees “If the hard numbers and math don’t convince you, then take it right from the source. Retirees who had purchased an annuity are more confident than those without one” The research looked at how...
Apr 30, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Net Unrealized Appreciation (“NUA”) is a powerful tool that people with employer stock in company plans should be aware of. Under this tax concept, the gains on the employer stock that are distributed according to the NUA rules...
Apr 29, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap Week ending 4/26/19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The broader indices inked new all-time highs last week as Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon all posted better than expected earnings. The S&P gained 1.2% but was outpaced by the Nasdaq and Russell 2000 which...
Apr 25, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: My sister is 72 years old and quite philanthropic. Much of her traditional IRA RMD she donates to various charities. Is it possible for her to instruct the IRA trustee to send the money directly from her IRA account to the...
Apr 24, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The House Ways and Means Committee recently passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (the SECURE Act). This bill includes a number of measures designed to strengthen retirement savings. With regard...
Apr 24, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
April is Financial Literacy Month and a reminder to examine your personal finance habits. A key element of financial literacy is how well-prepared you are for retirement. Unfortunately, few Americans are looking forward their post-working years. Our 2017 survey found...
Apr 22, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap week ending 4.18.19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The holiday-shortened week was an interesting one but produced a mixed bag of results for the major indices. The S&P 500 lost 0.1% on the week while the Russell 2000 lost 1.4%. The Dow outperformed with a...
Apr 17, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst If the dictionary had pictures next to each word, the U.S. Tax Code would fit nicely next to the definition of “esoteric.” But as we all know, this complex web of rules and regulations cannot be ignored. Mistakes cost money, in...
Apr 16, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
You need to know how they work, because many financial planners recommend them to their clients for retirement planning purposes. In fact, one study shows that almost 90 % of planners recommend them. Does that mean you need them? Well, you can decide if you do, and if...
Apr 15, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap for the Week Ending 4-12-19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA It was a mixed performance for the major averages last week. The S&P 500 gained 0.5%, the NASDAQ added 0.6%, and the Russell 2000 was up 0.1%, while the Dow lost 0.1%. Treasuries lost more ground last...
Apr 15, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Today is April 15, 2019. This is deadline for filing your 2018 federal income tax return, unless you have an extension. This tax season was the first one where we saw the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Wholesale changes to the...
Apr 11, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I have a question for a situation I have never come across before. I have a client that just found out they missed taking their RMD’s from one of their retirement accounts for the last 5 years! Assuming they take...
Apr 11, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
Tax Day is just around the corner, and now is a good time to review your financial habits and goals, particularly as they relate to retirement planning. This reflection is also timely because retirement preparation can have significant tax implications—ranging from...
Apr 10, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Unfortunately, it happened again. Another person dove into the IRA rollover pool before checking the depth, temperature, or if the pool was even open for swimming. In this scenario, $125,000 was rolled from an IRA at Bank A to Bank...
Apr 8, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Most people are aware of the tax concept, Required Minimum Distributions or “RMDs.” These are the tax rules that force you to take a distribution from your IRA or qualified plan, even when you don’t want to. Moreover, that...
Apr 8, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap for the Week ending 4.5.19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The stock market started the second quarter with nice gains and forged new highs for 2019. The S&P 500 gained 2.1%, the Dow increased 1.9%, the NASDAQ added 2.7%, and the Russell 2000 outperformed with...
Apr 4, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a 60 day rollover, and basically the client has what I believe is an uneducated tax preparer. The roll over occurred within the proper 60 days, the custodian sent out the 1099R as a distribution checking box 7, 1,...
Apr 4, 2019 | Blog, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
Get tips on what to do if you’re 10, 5 or 1 year out from retirement. What is your current retirement outlook? If you’re 10 years or less from retirement, does getting everything in order seem like too much to process? Do you know where to even start? According...
Apr 3, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Are you a small business owner or a sole proprietor? If so, you may use a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA plan to save for retirement. These plans are a popular choice for small businesses because they are inexpensive and easier...
Apr 1, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap Week ending 3.29.19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets had nice gains last week as investors seemed to shrug off the most recent concerns over global growth. The S&P 500 gained 1.2% on the week, gaining just over 13% for the first quarter. The Dow added...
Apr 1, 2019 | Market Review and Outlook
-Murray Titterington, CFP, CIMA Most of the major U.S. equity indices rose in March, and all of the indices notched their biggest quarterly gains in nearly a decade. The rise in US equity markets was attributed to signs of progress on U.S. – China trade negotiations...
Apr 1, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A little house on Easy Street has one front door. It is a traditional IRA. There is a sign above the lone entry point the reads, “To All Those That Enter, Thy Earnings Will be Taxable.” It does not matter if the money that enters...
Mar 28, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Planning Question – for retirement plans that permit Non Roth After Tax Contributions, could the company use Qualified Matching Contributions (QMACs) for the NHCEs to satisfy the ADP & ACP testing allowing the...
Mar 27, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Tax rules can be confusing, and that can especially be the case when we are talking about the application of two separate rules. It’s easy to get confused when two or more tax laws intersect. For many, that occurs when we discuss...
Mar 27, 2019 | Blog, Financial, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
While a women-led revolution plays out in the American workplace, the retirement landscape is still evolving. In the second half of the 20th Century, women’s participation in the workforce rose from 29.6 percent to 46.5 percent.1Among those age 25 to 34, during that...
Mar 26, 2019 | IRA Blog
Are you ready for the Great Wealth Transfer? By some reports, 45 million Baby Boomers are expected to transfer over $68 trillion in wealth to the next generation in the coming 25 years. Increasingly, a larger portion of this wealth can be found in IRAs. Those dollars...
Mar 25, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Whether by choice or necessity, many Americans are still working long beyond what has traditionally been retirement age. If you are a member of this group, you may be keeping funds in your employer plan well into your seventies and...
Mar 25, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap Week ending 3.22.19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA It was another extremely busy week for Wall Street. Investors received the latest statement from the Fed Reserve Open Market Committee that appeared to be more dovish than anticipated. Additionally, there were a...
Mar 21, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Is it possible to take the RMD portion of an inherited traditional IRA and convert that each year as the distribution is done into a Roth IRA? Or, is the only way to accomplish this is to take the distribution and then...
Mar 21, 2019 | Blog, Financial Services Newsletter, New Weekly Newsletter, Weekly Article, Weekly Newsletter
March celebrates National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), a time to help people understand their consumer rights and make well-informed decisions about money and saving for their retirement. No matter your age, some of the most important financial decisions relate to...
Mar 20, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Edward was born in 1950. Traditional IRA accounts would not be established until the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). In 1975, Edward and many other Americans took full advantage of this tax-deferred savings...
Mar 18, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Jeremy Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst I’m sure you’ve heard countless advisors mention that a direct transfer (or direct rollover) is the best way to move funds between IRAs or qualified retirement plans. But do you understand why? There are a number of reasons, and in...
Mar 18, 2019 | Weekly Market Commentarfy, Weekly Market Commentary
Market Recap for the week ending 3.15.19 -Darren Leavitt, CFA It was an extremely busy week for the markets. Central bank news, corporate headlines, trade negotiations, technical variables, and a full dose of economic data were in play last week. The market shrugged...
Mar 14, 2019 | IRA Blog
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a question about avoiding RMDs for a still-working 72 year old in a 401k plan. Suppose they don’t have to take 401k RMDs due to the still-working exemption from RMDs. Let’s say the person knows they will retire next...
