By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   Question: I need guidance on a new client with the following information: Is age 55; Has a $700,000 ESOP in a company that he separated from over 10 years ago; and Wants...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport What do you get when community property mixes with your IRA? Well, you will discover that the results can be confusing. Here are some facts every IRA owner should know. Community...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   Question: Can a QCD (qualified charitable distribution) be made from a 401(k) plan? Thanks! Answer: No, QCDs can only be made from IRAs and inactive SEP or SIMPLE IRAs. One possible workaround would...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   It’s been over four years since the SECURE Act upended the rules for beneficiary IRA required minimum distributions (RMDs), and there’s still plenty of confusion about the new rules. The IRS did give...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   If you are at retirement age, you might be at a high risk for excess contributions due to rollover mistakes. This is because of the rule that says that the required minimum...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   QUESTION: My client is terminating employment and rolling over the funds from his 401(k). He was told that the funds must be rolled over to a “rollover IRA” and kept separate from any other...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   SCENARIO: In one calendar year, Jessie completes the following transactions: 1. Takes a partial distribution from her 401(k) and does a 60-day rollover to an IRA. 2. Does a 60-day rollover...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   Here’s a question we get asked often: Say you retire in the year you turn age 73 (or in a later year) and you want to roll over your 401(k) funds to an IRA. Do you have to take a required minimum...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   Question: My brother died in 2020 and made me the beneficiary of an IRA he inherited from my sister who died in 2017. Can I continue to stretch the payments from this...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport The cost of healthcare continues to climb. Are you frustrated with higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs? You are not alone. You may be looking for new strategies to handle these...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   We answer some pretty complex IRA and retirement plan questions. Our newsletters and other Slott Report entries can get into the weeds on some tricky topics. The thing is, when you spend all...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport If you’re an IRA beneficiary subject to the 10-year payout period and would have had a 2024 required minimum distribution (RMD), you’re in luck. In IRS Notice 2024-35, issued yesterday (April 16), the IRS...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport You have carefully saved for retirement and now you have accumulated a substantial amount of funds in your IRA.  At some point the funds that you have been putting away for years...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   QUESTION: Dear IRA Help, My mother passed away in April of 2023 and no required minimum distribution (RMD) was taken. The entire IRA account was paid out to the charity that was the...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   Imagine walking through a grocery store, intent on purchasing a specific item. As you turn down an aisle, little colorful tags proclaiming “Special Deal” and “Buy 1, Get 1” protrude from each...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport If you exceeded the 2023 limit for 401(k) deferrals, time is of the essence to correct the error. If you don’t act quickly, the tax consequences can be serious. The maximum amount of pre-tax and Roth...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Question: I have a general question regarding the 10-year time frame for emptying an inherited IRA. Your guidance says that the deadline is the END of the tenth year following death....

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Markets continue to climb. That is good news for your retirement account. However, there is a downside. When you contribute to a traditional IRA or a pre-tax 401(k), you make a deal...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Ever since the SECURE Act created a 10-year payout rule for most IRA beneficiaries, that topic has garnered the bulk of conversation. This is understandable. Not only was the 10-year rule a brand-new...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport We’re getting lots of questions about the SECURE 2.0 change that allows annuitized IRA annuities to be aggregated with non-annuity IRA funds for required minimum distribution (RMD) purposes. This change...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport QUESTION: I have been funding a 529 account for over 15 years and no longer need to add deposits. Could I change the beneficiary to myself and then convert to a Roth IRA, assuming I have met the...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport When the bell dropped in Times Square last Sunday night, a bunch of new provisions from the SECURE 2.0 legislation kicked in. This article will focus on the Roth-related changes that are effective in 2024....

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Question: I have a traditional IRA with a portion being nondeductible contributions. The last nondeductible contribution I made was in 2009. and I have my Form 8606 showing the...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Thinking of opening up a new solo 401(k) plan for 2023? Thanks to SECURE 2.0, you don’t have to rush to get it done by year end. A solo 401(k) is an excellent retirement savings vehicle for self-employed...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport The investment advisory firm of Bad Santa & the Grinch continues to disseminate misinformation and lousy, no good, rotten-to-the-core IRA advice. As we saw in “Bad Santa & The Grinch Offer...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport A few weeks ago, many of us were required to turn back our clocks one hour and say goodbye to daylight savings time. And with that change came the usual reminder to change the batteries in our smoke...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Question: In 2020 and 2021, when I was over 65 years old, I converted some of my IRA into a Roth IRA.  Does the five-year rule still apply to me, or can I now draw out all of the...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport An advisor called and said his 75-year-old client had just passed away. He had questions about the payout rules applicable to the three IRAs the client left behind: a traditional IRA, a Roth IRA, and...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   Question: Dear Mr. Slott, I made $40,000 additional non-deductible (after taxes) contributions to my IRA many years ago. I have filed IRS Form 8606 every year informing the IRS of the contributions....

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Within the 400-page Ed Slott advisor training manual, we include a basic chart that outlines the Roth IRA distribution ordering rules and the availability of those specific dollars. When presenting...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Question: I earn too much money and can’t do a Roth IRA. I have heard about the back-door Roth IRA strategy for those who earn more than the allowable contribution for the Roth IRA...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Question: I have a client who just retired at age 80.  He has $800,000 in his 401(k) plan which is being rolled over to an IRA.  Does he have to take an RMD this year based on the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   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,...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport QUESTION: On September 6th in a piece titled, “Rules for Inherited IRAs that May Surprise Nonspouse Beneficiaries,” Sarah Brenner from Ed Slott and Company wrote, “If you inherited the IRA funds in...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport The Ed Slott team answers thousands of IRA and work plan questions annually - emails, phone calls, in-person conversations, webinars, Q&A programs and texts. We accommodate all members of the Ed...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Question: I’m age 76. My brother died in December 2022 at 84. Do I take required minimum distributions (RMDs) for the inherited account based on my age or on my brother’s age at death? Answer: Since you’re...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport As already-complicated IRA rules spiral further into an abyss of confusion, it comes as no surprise that irregularities exist. Up is down and left is right. Green means stop, red means throw your...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport   If you’re facing the unpleasant prospect of paying college bills for the fall semester, you may be thinking of tapping into your retirement savings to help with the costs. If you’re under age 59 ½,...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Greetings, If I have the beneficiaries on my IRA listed as my wife (50%) and two children over 21 (50%), is my wife still able to move her half of the IRA into her existing IRA when I...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport   Are you thinking of naming a child or grandchild as your IRA beneficiary? With the start of the SECURE Act in January 2020, the rules for inherited IRAs were upended....

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport   There is no doubt we have written about this topic in past Slott Report entries. Possibly many times. There is also no doubt that people continue to make this same error, over and over...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: I inherited an IRA in 2022 upon the passing of my father after he had already started his RMDs. I took a 2023 RMD from it in May 2023.  Your website says I’m not...

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...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hi, I have a question regarding solo 401(k)s. Does a solo 401(k) contribution affect the pro-rata rule when considering a backdoor Roth IRA? Best, James Answer: Hi James, No. 401(k) assets...

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...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hello, I am involved with a traditional non-spouse inherited IRA that was passed from my mother to myself and two siblings in 2022. My mother was 84 when she passed and was taking RMDs. I...

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...

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...

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...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: I inherited an IRA from my brother back in 2019. I have been taking required distributions from it each year. Can I do a qualified charitable distribution from this...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Probably the biggest advantage that a spouse beneficiary of an IRA has over other beneficiaries is the ability to do a spousal rollover. Only a spouse beneficiary can do a...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: If a 76-year-old is working full time and has a SIMPLE IRA and she does not own any of the company that sponsors the SIMPLE IRA, does she still have to take a RMD (required minimum...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: In 2021, my wife inherited an IRA from her sister who was 4 years younger.  My wife therefore is an EDB (eligible designated beneficiary). Her sister was 66 years old at date of...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The “once-per-year” rollover rule is one of those IRA rules that has serious tax consequences and cannot be fixed if violated. Breaking the rule results in a taxable distribution and a 10% early...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport   You have likely heard of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and you may even understand the basics of how an HSA works. These accounts are really not too complicated. If...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hello, Are you required to take out RMDs (required minimum distributions) on an inherited Roth IRA? The original owner was 82 when he passed away. The funds were left to his nephew, so I...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport   One of the more controversial provisions of the new SECURE 2.0 law concerns 401(k) catch-up contributions. Most 401(k) plans – as well as 403(b) and governmental 457(b) plans – permit employees...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport This past week the Ed Slott team hosted another successful conference for our Elite IRA Advisor Group members. Well over 300 advisors from across the country descended on Washington D.C. for...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport It’s certainly not a bad problem to have. But employees with very high compensation cannot have their retirement plan benefits based on all of their pay. Instead, the tax code allows only compensation...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education If you recently converted your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA and you under 59 ½, you will want to know about the five-year rule for penalty-free distributions of converted funds from your Roth IRA. Many people are...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport One important way that IRAs differ from company retirement plans is with respect to spousal financial rights. Most married IRA owners do not need spousal consent before designating a beneficiary other...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport More 401(k) plans are starting to offer Roth options. If you now have this option, you may be wondering what the difference is between a Roth IRA and a Roth 401(k). Which...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Time is running out! The tax filing deadline is Tuesday, April 18. Why is this important? Because that is the last day an IRA can be opened and/or funded for the previous year. Even if a...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: I have been told that QCDs are not allowed from local and state government 457(b) plans.  I have looked at the accountant’s IRS manual, websites etc. and I can’t find...

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are rapidly growing in both size and in number. These accounts offer deductible contributions and tax-free distributions for qualified medical expenses. An HSA can be a valuable tool not only for paying for medical expenses but also for...

Higher education expenses can be steep. Fortunately for those under the age of 59 ½ who need to dip into retirement savings to cover these costs, there is an exception to the 10% early withdrawal penalty. Before tapping your IRA, be sure to understand the fundamentals...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: In a recent blog post, you said that the deadline for contributing to a Roth IRA for 2022 is April 18, 2023.  Does that include converting a traditional IRA to a Roth? Answer: You can make a...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport When you leave your job and aren’t fully vested in your company plan account, the plan will forfeit your unvested portion. Recently, the IRS issued new guidance clarifying the forfeiture rules....

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has been in the news recently as bank failures have made headlines. The FDIC is an independent agency created by Congress. It...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Tax season is in full swing. That means that the 2022 tax-filing deadline is not far away. Are you considering making a 2022 IRA contribution? Time is quickly running out. Here...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: My daughter had two employers during 2022. The first employer offered a matching 401(k) plan in which she enrolled. The second employer (her current employer) offers...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Spring break. Warm breezes and ocean waves and fancy cocktails are top of mind. The aroma of coconut suntan lotion entwined with barbecue smoke floats on salty air. And when morning light...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport We continue to get questions about the ability of employees to withdraw from 401(k) plans while still working. The tax code includes certain restrictions on these in-service withdrawals. Plans must...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hi, I’m looking forward to the July workshop in Boston but hoping you can help with this question now. What happens if an account holder who is over age 59 ½ does a...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Tax season is in full swing. That means that the 2022 tax-filing deadline is not far away. Are you considering making a 2022 IRA contribution? Time is quickly running out. Here...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport People on TikTok create investment advice videos? And I’m supposed to trust whatever this talking head is telling me? No chance. Of course, the person on TikTok could hold a number of higher...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hello, I have an inherited IRA which falls under the 10-year rule. I understand that the IRS has tried to clear up the 10-year RMD (required minimum distribution) confusion but I am still...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Considering that it made 92 new IRA and retirement plan changes and is 357 pages long, it’s not surprising that the new SECURE 2.0 law has several unintended drafting errors and lots of unresolved...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport If you want to leave your IRA to an adult, you simply name that person on the IRA beneficiary form. Unfortunately, when it comes to minors, it is not that easy. When a minor...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Can an Education Savings Account (ESA) be rolled into a Roth IRA under the recently enacted SECURE 2.0? 529 plans clearly can - beginning in 2024 - but I have found no reference to...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Last week the Ed Slott team hosted another highly successful and sold-out 2-day advisor training program at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Over 250 financial professionals from across the...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The new SECURE 2.0 law fixes a glitch that has made it difficult for new solo 401(k) plans to be opened up retroactively for a prior year. A solo 401(k) plan is a great retirement savings vehicle for...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: I am interested in your interpretation of the RMD (required minimum distribution) rules using the following facts: Original IRA owner’s DOB is 1/21/29 Original IRA...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport SECURE 2.0 is a mammoth piece of legislation that contains over 90 provisions that affect retirement accounts. While many of these provisions are not game changers, they still...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport By now, most are aware the SECURE Act created a new class of beneficiaries called “eligible designated beneficiaries” (EDBs). This group includes surviving spouses, minor children of the...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hi, Thank you for all the helpful insight on retirement. I wish I heard about your website earlier. I turned 72 last year and followed your advice on QCDs (qualified charitable...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport How much can you contribute when you’re in two different retirement plans at the same time or at different times in the same year (e.g., after changing jobs)? The answer is complicated because...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Tax season is upon us. This is the time when you might be thinking about contributing to a retirement account. You may be interested in the Roth IRA, which offers the promise...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport QUESTION: I just inherited my spouse’s inherited IRA (he got it from his father). He (my husband) was already taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) based on his own single life...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport When IRA or retirement plan assets are withdrawn prior to age 59 ½, an early distribution penalty of 10% applies - in addition to any taxes owed on the distribution. However, there are...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Up to now, employer contributions to 401(k) (and other plans) had to be made to pre-tax accounts. One of the SECURE 2.0 changes already in effect allows employer contributions to be made to Roth...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The SECURE Act changed the game for inherited IRAs. For most beneficiaries, the stretch IRA is gone and has been replaced by the 10-year payout rule. However, the SECURE Act carved out some rules...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: If a person turned 72 in 2022, and died before starting her traditional IRA RMDs (required minimum distributions), must her three children take an RMD (based on their ages) in 2022 and for...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport The SECURE 2.0 Act, enacted into law on December 29, 2022, makes over 90 changes to the IRA and employer plan tax rules. If that isn’t enough, many of these provisions aren’t immediately effective and...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport SECURE 2.0 is now the law of the land and one thing is very clear. Roth-O-Mania is here! In their quest for more revenue, Congress has created more options to save with Roth accounts. These...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Question: Hello Ed, I have a question concerning Secure 2.0 pertaining to transferring “leftover” 529 plan account balances into a Roth IRA, beginning 2024. If I have no income in 2024, can I...

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...

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...

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...