Individual Retirement Accounts - IRAs
Strategies for maximizing your Individual Retirement Account (IRA’s) Investments, Tax Savings and Timing of Required Minimum Distributions
Found 388 Articles.
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The Backdoor Roth IRA
When your adjusted gross income is too high ($186,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2017), your ability to make a contribution to a Roth IRA is phased out. You can’t make a contribution. But there’s a backdoor way to make a Roth IRA contribution when you’re a high income taxpayer. The method works and […]
Avoiding RMD Mistakes with Retirement Accounts
Most people know that after reaching age 70½, they have to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their IRAs. But that rule is only the tip of the iceberg. Not knowing all the RMD rules is a source of many mistakes, resulting in extra taxes and penalties. Required minimum distributions also must be taken from […]
Making the Most of 401(k) Plans
Rollovers from 401(k) accounts are the main reason IRAs are among the most valuable assets many retirees own. When people leave a job, for either a new job or retirement, they often roll over the 401(k) balance to an IRA. To maximize the value of your IRAs in retirement, you need to maximize 401(k) account […]
10 Key IRA Mistakes to Avoid in 2017
It doesn’t take much to squander a large piece of an IRA or 401(k) account. For many people, these are among their most valuable and important assets. Yet, the accounts often are taken for granted, and people don’t realize all the nuances of the rules and regulations. Every day both owners and beneficiaries who inherit […]
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Arranging Your Finances to Make an IRA Conversion Less Costly
Last month, we addressed the different factors to consider when evaluating whether it makes sense to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. While a Roth IRA has many benefits, there is a cost to the conversion. You have to include the converted amount in gross income as though it were distributed to you […]
The Pension Fund Dilemma of Low Interest Rates
While individual investors fret about zero interest rates around the globe, the low rates also are creating substantial problems for pension funds, life insurers, and an array of other entities that depend on investment returns. This article in The Wall Street Journal delves into detail how bad zero interest rates are making pension funding. (Subscription […]
New Rulings Show Importance of Checking IRA Beneficiaries
A series of recent IRS rulings shows how important it is to review carefully your IRA beneficiary designations. The rulings show that your will and other documents don’t matter. Only the beneficiary designation form on file with the IRS custodian or trustee matters to the IRS. In the rulings, an IRA owner had IRAs at […]
Weighing the Pros and Cons of IRA Conversions
Forget all you’ve heard about converting traditional IRAs into Roth IRAs. There are too many rules of thumb, shortcuts and plain misinformation floating around. Also, circumstances change. You might have evaluated the conversion option a few years ago and reached a decision. You should re-evaluate that decision regularly, because important factors might be different now. […]
