By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport If a person has a Traditional IRA and is of the age when lifetime required minimum distributions (RMDs) apply, then that person must withdraw a portion of that account annually. The amount to...
Weekly Market Commentary – 1/13/2023 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Equity markets continued to rally in the second week of January as investors considered the idea of a Fed-orchestrated soft landing. An inline December CPI showed consumer prices falling on the headline...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport We’re getting a lot of questions about the SECURE 2.0 provision allowing tax-free rollovers from 529 plans to Roth IRAs. Although this new rollover opportunity sounds exciting, there are a number of...
Tax changes, RMD rules, Social Security COLA and more will affect older Americans’ finances You might have heard about big changes coming to retirement finance due to Secure 2.0, a package of provisions included in the massive spending bill enacted by Congress and...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: I am confused regarding the requirements for making a qualified charitable distribution. Is it necessary for the donation to be sent directly from the financial...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport One of the provisions of the recently passed SECURE 2.0 that has gotten the most attentions is the one that allows some retirement account owners to delay their required...
Weekly Market Commentary – 1/6/2023 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The start of the New Year brought volatility with it. Markets sold off early in the week and tested a critical technical level on the S&P 500 (3800), then bounced significantly to regain support and...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport SECURE 2.0 includes a number of new ways a person under the age of 59 ½ can access retirement account dollars while avoiding the 10% penalty. Historically, there have been more than a dozen...
KEY POINTS Increasing emergency savings is a top financial goal for many Americans heading into 2023, a new survey finds. Here’s how to increase the cash you have set aside. When it comes to financial resolutions for 2023, there’s one goal at the top of many people’s...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: On reading your SECURE 2.0 information, a revised RMD (required minimum distribution) to age 73 was mentioned. Prior to this new legislation, 72 was the RMD age. If this is in effect now in...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport In our December 28 and January 2 Slott Report articles, we focused mostly on the provisions of the new SECURE 2.0 law that apply to IRAs. But many of the law’s changes are directed towards workplace...
Weekly Market Commentary – 12/30/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Financial markets finished the final week of 2022 trading with a whimper. Year-end tax-loss harvesting and asset class rebalancing accounted for much of the volume in light trade. The technical level...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The year 2023 has arrived. It is a new year, and we have new rules for retirement accounts thanks to SECURE 2.0 which Congress passed in the waning days of last year. SECURE...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport QUESTION: I have an inherited IRA from my father. He was born 9-27-1927 and died 7-19-2019 at age 91. I was born 12-13-1952 and my age is 70. Two on-line calculators offered by...
IRS adjustments may save you some money in 2023 Are expensive gas and groceries busting your budget? The Internal Revenue Service feels your pain. In one of the few silver linings of the highest inflation rates in four decades, the IRS announced inflation-adjusted...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Each day we receive dozens of retirement-related questions from advisor members of the Ed Slott Elite IRA Advisor Group. Conversations range from incredibly complex to obscure to, “I just need...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport This holiday season Congress has given us SECURE 2.0. With no time to spare to avoid a government shutdown, they passed the $1.7 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act of...
Weekly Market Commentary – 12/23/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 incurred its third straight weekly loss as investors assessed the increasing likelihood of a global recession and its impact on current earnings estimates. Markets also had to contend...
The income ranges, adjusted annually for inflation, determine which tax rates apply to you Even though we’re still in the 2022 tax year, and you filed your 2021 tax returns back in April, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “Gosh! I wonder what the tax brackets are...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Ed, I started reading your newsletter and I wondered what you thought of IRS Notice 2022-53. It made sense to me to the point where it said that “the...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport As you may have read, Congress is considering passage of a $1.65 trillion spending bill that contains a number of retirement savings plan provisions. As of this morning (December 21), the bill has not...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport A repair man is currently fixing the sliding glass door on the back of my house. The track is worn and the rollers need replacing. No small task. The doors weigh a ton, you need one of those...
Weekly Market Commentary – 12/16/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets started the week recouping from last week’s losses in hopes of a cooler CPI print and a more dovish stance from the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee. Investors did cheer a...
Surprisingly, some things are bargains today — but not many Remember 1972? Richard Nixon was president, the Oakland Athletics were on the way to winning the first of three consecutive World Series and All in the Family was the number 1 television show. Still, what you...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Do adult children who inherited a parent’s Roth IRA in 2020 need to take an RMD each year during the 10-year payout rule or may they leave it alone and deplete the account at the end of the...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The year 2022 is coming to a close. The holidays season is upon us. That means that the clock is ticking on year-end IRA deadlines. Be sure to get the following four...
Weekly Market Commentary – 12/9/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets gave back gains inked over the last couple of weeks as investors pulled off risk in front of the upcoming Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting. The market expects the Fed to increase its...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The IRS has announced the retirement contribution limits for 2023. Because many of these limits are tied to inflation, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some of the limits had a big jump. Here’s a...
Whether you opt for a real or a faux one, expect to pay 5 to 15 percent more this holiday season Christmas tree prices, whether for faux or real ones, are rising this holiday season as inflation spills over into decorations. How bad? Expect to pay anywhere from 5 to...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport QUESTION: Hello Mr. Slott, I have been doing Roth conversions this year from two small accounts (one a rollover IRA, the other a SEP-IRA) to consolidate into fewer accounts. The small SEP-IRA...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport At this time of year, financial articles typically cover festive topics with creative holiday metaphors. “Stuff Your Stocking with These Year-End Retirement Tips” or, “Stay Off Santa’s Naughty...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport If you have an IRA, you should know that the funds that are in the account can’t stay there forever. The rules say that you must begin to take required minimum distributions...
Weekly Market Commentary – 12/2/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The week started with concerns regarding China’s Zero Covid policy which has led to protests stemming from continued lockdowns. Initial concerns were tempered by reports suggesting China would slowly...
Economic downturns are inevitable. Here’s how to protect your retirement nest egg Is the U.S. in a recession? The media was filled with speculation after the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) announced that the nation’s economy had contracted in the first...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hi, I have read with interest, Ian Berger’s article titled “IRS Waives 50% Penalty for Missed 2021 and 2022 RMDs within the 10-Year Period.” I am...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport As you’ve probably heard, the IRS has announced the IRA and workplace plan contribution limits for 2023. Because most of those limits are tied to inflation, many increased substantially. Among the big...
Weekly Market Commentary – 11/25/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Investors pushed US equities and Treasuries higher in light volume trade. The holiday-shortened week was packed with all kinds of news. A spike in Covid cases in China increased lockdown measures and...
If these actions sound familiar, you may want to make some changes If worrying about running out of money in retirement is keeping you up at night, you aren’t alone. Untold numbers of older adults have that concern, and for good reason. Inflation is soaring, gas...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport It is a Thanksgiving tradition here at the Slott Report to take a moment to give thanks for the IRA rules that are helpful to retirement savers. We know there are many times...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport A solo 401(k) plan is a great retirement savings vehicle for self-employed business owners with no employees (other than their spouse). But if you’re considering a new solo 401(k), be aware that...
Weekly Market Commentary – 11/18/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Investors continued to digest the market’s recent strength and questioned if there is more upside to the move. There was no lack of hawkish Fed speak throughout the week. St. Louis Fed President Bullard...
Limits adjusted higher for soaring inflation A 401(k) plan is a great way to increase your retirement savings. Your employer will deduct your pretax contributions from your paycheck, and your savings will be tax-deferred until you take withdrawals during retirement....
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hello! I need clarification regarding RMD statements for customers who hold inherited IRAs or inherited Roth IRAs. I have not been able to find a clear answer to the following...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The goal of the net unrealized appreciation (NUA) tax strategy is to enable a person to pay taxes on the appreciation of company stock formerly in a work plan at long term capital gain rates as opposed to ordinary income rates. The...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The holidays are right around the corner, and 2022 is drawing to a close. The end of the year is always a busy time with retirement account deadlines and preparations for the...
Weekly Market Commentary – 11/11/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA “Bar the door Katie” What an extraordinary week on Wall Street. Tuesday’s Midterm elections, coupled with a Crypto stalwart blow-up, were accompanied by a better-than-expected Consumer Price Index...
The answer requires a realistic look at your savings and spending Inflation is soaring and the stock market is falling, putting a wrench in many people’s retirement plans. That’s particularly true of those gearing up to retire this year. Instead of planning their...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Good morning, I have a client who took out $100K from his SEP IRA and put the funds back in on 8/19/22 — within 60 days from the distribution. The client has...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport As we’ve reported, the IRS recently said it would waive the 50% penalty on RMDs missed in 2021 and 2022 for IRA beneficiaries subject to the 10-year payout rule who inherited in 2020 or 2021. These...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Not every IRA transaction is easily identifiable. Some require a little legwork to reveal or report what occurred. Some transactions are not even labeled on official IRS tax forms and can go...
Weekly Market Commentary – 11/4/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Wall Street incurred another week of losses as investors digested another 75 basis point rate hike from the Federal Reserve. Hopes of a pivot away from a hawkish stance were diminished when Fed Chairman...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport When it comes to IRAs and workplace plans, the concept of the “required beginning date” (RBD) is a “really big deal” again. The RBD is the first date you’re required to start required minimum...
How to prepare for those rare occasions when a large sum falls into your lap For most of your life, money comes in at a slow and somewhat steady pace. Maybe you get a paycheck every two weeks or a Social Security payment once a month. Now and then you might get a bump...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: I am 72 and want to start RMDs. I have multiple accounts from teaching jobs that I had many years ago, plus a couple of traditional IRAs and a 401(k) with my current employer. Can I total...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Roth IRAs offer a trade-off where you pay taxes now on your contribution (or conversion) in exchange for tax-free earnings later. Don’t miss out on tax-free Roth IRA...
Weekly Market Commentary – 10/28/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA US financial markets followed through with another week of gains as investors gravitated toward the notion that the Fed would temper its monetary policy after the November meeting. Less-than-expected...
Answers to your most pressing questions about the rising cost of living — past, present and future Prices crept up, then surged higher in the first half of this year. In June, the consumer price index rose to become 9.1 percent higher than it had been a year earlier —...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Fall is in full swing now with football, foliage, and pumpkin spice everything. The holiday season is just around the corner. Before we know it, the year 2022 will come to an...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport QUESTION: Iturn 72 next month. Can I take part of my RMD this year and the balance before April of next year? Howard ANSWER: Howard, Happy early birthday! Since you turn 72 this year, 2022 is...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The Ed Slott team hosted a highly successful training program for members of Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group℠ and Ed Slott’s Master Elite Advisor Group℠ last week in Las Vegas....
Weekly Market Commentary – 10/21/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Investors enjoyed a nice rally as Fed rhetoric suggested a less hawkish policy path. The rhetoric was backed by Nick Timiraos, a Fed pundit, who published an article in the Wall Street Journal that...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Can an IRA to Roth IRA rollover be spread out over two transactions to soften the upfront tax hit? Answer: When a conversion is done, any taxes owed would be owed in...
Your needs are unique if you are divorced, widowed or never married Ah, the single life. You can do as you like. There’s no need to deal with a spouse who has opposing views, a different vision of retirement. A spouse who spends too little or too much, or has...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport SECURE Act regulations shoved the required beginning date (RBD) to the front of the stage. No longer can the RBD hide from the bright lights. What was once somewhat of a minor date in people’s...
Weekly Market Commentary – 10/14/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Capital markets continued to be extremely volatile. All eyes were on the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) print on Thursday, which showed no signs of inflation moderating. The headline number increased by...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hello, I inherited an IRA from my brother who passed away on January 6, 2022. His DOB was 12/31/1952. He had just turned age 69. I am 75 years old. My DOB is 6/26/1947. I understand the...
Older adults are concerned about the impact of inflation on Social Security retirement benefits. Americans have real concerns about being able to make ends meet with Social Security retirement income, even as many admit they have not done much financial planning for...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport If you are a victim of Hurricane Ian, you may be eligible for some relief when it comes to your retirement accounts. The IRS has postponed certain tax deadlines for individuals...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Last Friday (October 7, 2022), the IRS waived the 50% penalty on missed 2021 and 2022 inherited retirement account RMDs for beneficiaries subject to the SECURE Act 10-year payout period. The guidance...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: I must take an RMD this year, based on 12/31/2021 account values. My current account values are much less than those of 12/31/2021. This is typical, I’m sure. Is there any chance...
You’ll be retired by this time next year. Here’s what to do now You’ve scrimped and saved and planned for decades, through good times and bad. Now your goal is to retire in this uncertain environment, perhaps in the next year — even though the last six months have...
Weekly Market Commentary – 9/30/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Global financial markets ended a difficult month of September with losses. Worries of a systemic breakdown in financial markets were induced by the extreme sell-offs in British Gilts and the British...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport We are constantly bombarded with requests to update our information. “Password needs updating.” “Software update for your mobile device.” “Please update your email so our marketing team can...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: When will the IRS release final regulations for RMDs on beneficiary IRAs? Kim Answer: Hi Kim, That is a great question. We have been fielding many inquiries about...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Maybe you made a Roth IRA contribution for 2021, but your income was too high. Maybe you made a traditional IRA contribution without having any earned income. These are both...
What’s the price of happiness in your state? Can money buy happiness? According to a recent Purdue study published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, income can correlate with emotional well-being and life satisfaction. “Globally, we find that satiation...
Weekly Market Commentary – 9/23/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA It was another brutal week on Wall Street as global economic growth concerns aggravated sentiment. Investors sold risk assets in the wake of several rate hikes by global central banks. The Federal Reserve...
By Ian Berger IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Late in December, 2021, a taxpayer (under age 59 ½) takes a distribution of his (traditional, not Roth) 401(k), and has 20% withheld for Federal tax. Early in January, 2022, the full 100% of the...
Sometimes the writing is on the wall Retirement may seem untenable with inflation soaring and gas prices skyrocketing, but for some older adults, hanging on to their job can cause more harm than good. Sure, you still have money coming in, but at what price to your...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport More and more 401(k) plans now offer Roth contributions. At the same time, Americans are changing jobs and receiving 401(k) distributions in record numbers. So, it’s a good time to review the tax...
Weekly Market Commentary – 9/16/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA There was no place for investors to hide this week except in cash. A hotter than anticipated Consumer Price Index (CPI) caught most of Wall Street off guard and propelled the S&P 500 to its largest...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) are a common transaction these days, but all guidelines must be followed to ensure the QCD is valid. Recent court cases have exposed the absolute...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: I turn 72 in 2023. If I wait to take my first RMD until 4/1/24, do I calculate it using my IRA balance on 12/31/23 or on 12/31/22? I think 12/31/22, but do not want to assume. I...
A long and happy retirement takes more than just money. Here are seven things happy retirees do – besides dutifully saving the money they’ll need to quit the 9-to-5 grind. Retirement planning is all about numbers. It centers around one question: Do my financial assets...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport According to many recent surveys, the fall months of September and October are overtaking June as the most popular time of year to tie the knot. If your wedding is approaching...
Weekly Market Commentary – 9/9/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The holiday-shortened week felt like anything of the sort. Wall Street is back from summer break, and market action kicked right into high gear. After three straight weeks of losses that saw the S&P...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport A recent federal court case from West Virginia illustrates that the spouse of a 401(k) participant usually has no right to prevent the plan from paying the participant a lump sum distribution....
Coronavirus scams keep coming as fraudsters follow the headlines The COVID-19 pandemic continues to fuel a parallel outbreak of coronavirus scams, many targeting older Americans. As of mid-June, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had logged nearly 754,000 consumer...
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: By law I must withdraw a certain percentage from my retirement accounts to meet the required RMD. And I will have to pay income taxes on that amount. The percentage amount I must withdraw...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport This may seem like a rudimentary topic, but it is the basics that are often so confusing. A fundamental understanding of Roth IRA distributions is essential for Roth IRA owners. In a blog post...
Weekly Market Commentary – 9/2/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Global financial markets continued to sell off on hawkish rhetoric from the Federal Reserve and on the realization that rates will likely be higher and in place for a longer time horizon. Cleveland Fed...
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hi Mr Slott, I read somewhere but couldn’t remember where, if a person needs to withdraw an RMD but doesn’t need the money, can he convert this RMD to a Roth IRA? Thanks in...
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Questions on how age affects the decision to convert to a Roth IRA are common. What age is too old to convert? There is no easy answer to this question because there is no magic age when conversion...
With no spouse and no children, she’s looking elsewhere for backup The Problem Elizabeth Spiegler, 68, a retired office manager in New York City, was thinking ahead. She wrote me wondering who could handle her financial affairs if someday she can’t....
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Here’s a common question: An employee retires in or after the year he turns 72 and wants to roll over his 401(k) funds to an IRA. Does an RMD have to be taken before the funds are rolled over? What...
Weekly Market Commentary – 8/26/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Global financial markets were focused for most of the week on economic rhetoric from the annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium hosted by the Kansas City Federal Reserve. Throughout the second half of...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport QUESTION: I have a client where we did a 60-day rollover this past January. The proceeds were put back into the account in less than 60 days. The client has asked me to rollover the 403(b) plan...
Talking about who will control your assets is tricky; doing it slowly may help My husband and I have never told our adult children, now in their mid-30s, how much money we make, how much we have tucked away and how much we spend in a year. But after talking with more...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport An advisor called to discuss Roth IRA conversions. His new client made some decisions before speaking with him, and he was trying to untangle her self-inflicted knot. She was 69 years old, a...
Weekly Market Commentary – 8/19/2022 -Darren Leavitt, CFA US equities and bonds ended the week lower in an erratic fashion. Technically, the S&P 500 failed to surpass it’s 200- day moving average, which gave reason for investors to take profits. The...
