Posted on May 2nd, 2021

Are you approaching retirement age and wondering where you can retire to make your retirement nest egg last longer? Retiring abroad may be the answer. But first, it’s important to look at the tax implications because not all retirement country destinations are created equal. Read More…

Tags: Foreign Income, Retirement

Posted on April 3rd, 2021

The Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act made it easier to access savings in IRAs and workplace retirement plans for those affected by the coronavirus. This relief provided favorable tax treatment for certain withdrawals from retirement plans and IRAs, including expanded loan options. Read More…

Tags: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Loans, Retirement, Taxable

Posted on March 1st, 2021

If you haven’t contributed funds to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for tax year 2020, or if you’ve put in less than the maximum allowed, you still have time to do so. You can contribute to either a traditional or Roth IRA until the April 15, 2021, due date, not including extensions. Read More…

Tags: Retirement, Tax Tips

Posted on December 8th, 2020

Cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for 2021 are as follows:

401(k), 403(b), 457 plans, and Thrift Savings Plan. Contribution limits for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan remains unchanged at $19,500. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over remains unchanged at $6,500.

SIMPLE retirement accounts. Contribution limits for SIMPLE retirement accounts for self-employed persons remains unchanged in 2021 as well at $13,500.

Traditional IRAs. The limit on annual contributions to an IRA remains at $6,000. The additional catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $1,000.

Taxpayers can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA if they meet certain conditions; however, if during the year either the taxpayer or their spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work, the deduction may be reduced, or phased out, until it is eliminated, depending on filing status and income. If a retirement plan at work covers neither the taxpayer nor their spouse, the phase-out amounts of the deduction do not apply.

The phase-out ranges for 2021 are as follows:

• For single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is $66,000 to $76,000, up from $65,000 to $54,000.
• For married couples filing jointly, where a workplace retirement plan covers the spouse making the IRA contribution, the phase-out range is $105,000 to $125,000, up from $104,000 to $124,000.
• For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the deduction is phased out if the couple’s income is between $198,000 and $208,000, up from $196,000 and $206,000.
• For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

Roth IRAs. The income phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is $125,000 to $140,000 for singles and heads of household, up from $124,000 to $139,000. For married couples filing jointly, the income phase-out range is $198,000 to $208,000, up from $196,000 to $206,000. The phase-out range for a married individual filing a separate return who makes contributions to a Roth IRA is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

Saver’s Credit. The income limit for the Saver’s Credit (also known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit) for low and moderate-income workers is $66,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $65,000; $49,500 for heads of household, up from $48,750; and $33,000 for singles and married individuals filing separately, up from $32,500.

If you have any questions about retirement plan contributions, don’t hesitate to call.

Tags: Retirement

Posted on November 2nd, 2020

While many taxpayers already know about Individual Retirement Arrangements, or IRAs, and have set up an IRA with a bank or other financial institution, a life insurance company, mutual fund or stockbroker, there are other taxpayers such as those new to the workforce who may not understand how IRAs help them save for retirement. With this in mind, here is a list of basic terms to help people better understand their IRA options: Read More…

Tags: Retirement

Posted on October 2nd, 2020

While taking money out of a retirement fund before age 59 1/2 is usually not recommended, in certain cases, it may be unavoidable, especially during times of economic crisis. If you need cash and have a retirement fund you can tap, here’s what you need to know. Read More…

Tags: Retirement, Tax Planning

Posted on October 1st, 2020

With health care, housing, food, and transportation costs increasing every year, many retirees on fixed incomes wonder how they can stretch their dollars even further. One solution is to move to another state where income taxes are lower than the one in which they currently reside. Read More…

Tags: Retirement

Posted on September 4th, 2020

As you approach retirement, it’s vital that you pay attention to several important financial matters to ensure a smooth transition. Here are five of them: Read More…

Tags: Retirement

Posted on August 3rd, 2020

Temporary administrative relief has been issued that helps certain retirement plan participants or beneficiaries who need to make participant elections by allowing flexibility for remote signatures. Generally, signatures of the individual making the election must be witnessed by a notary public or in the presence of a plan representative. This includes a spousal consent as well. Read More…

Tags: Retirement, Tax Tips

Posted on July 3rd, 2020

Generally, taxpayers must begin taking a required minimum distribution (RMD) from a defined-contribution retirement plan, including a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, or an IRA when they reach age 72 (70 1/2 if they reached 70 ½ before January 1, 2020). The RMD for any year is the account balance as of the end of the immediately preceding calendar year divided by a distribution period from the IRS’s “Uniform Lifetime Table” and is the minimum amount you must withdraw from your account each year. Read More…

Tags: Retirement, Tax Tips

Posted on March 2nd, 2020

If you haven’t contributed funds to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for tax year 2019, or if you’ve put in less than the maximum allowed, you still have time to do so. You can contribute to either a traditional or Roth IRA until the April 15th due date, not including extensions. Read More…

Tags: Deductions, Retirement

Posted on February 2nd, 2020

In addition to averting a government shutdown, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, signed into law on December 20, 2019, extended a number of expired tax provisions for businesses and individuals through 2020. It also included several retirement plan changes and repealed three health care taxes. Here’s what you need to know. Read More…

Tags: Deductions, Retirement, Tax Law

Posted on September 1st, 2019

Of all the retirement plans available to small business owners, the SIMPLE IRA plan (Savings Incentive Match PLan for Employees) is the easiest to set up and the least expensive to manage. The catch is that you’ll need to set it up by October 1st. Here’s what you need to know. Read More…

Tags: Retirement, Tax Law Changes

Posted on March 2nd, 2019

In most cases, taxpayers who turned 70 1/2 during 2018 must start receiving required minimum distributions (RMDs) from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and workplace retirement plans by Monday, April 1, 2019.

Tags: Retirement

Posted on February 6th, 2019

Many people use IRAs, SEP Plans, SIMPLE IRA plans, and employee-sponsored retirement savings plans such as the 401(k) to save money for their retirement years, but what if you need to tap that money before age 59 1/2? The bad news is that you generally have to pay a 10 percent penalty for early withdrawal of your funds. While that may seem unfair (after all, most of it is probably your money), you need to remember that the purpose of these types of plans is to save money for the years when you are no longer working. Read More…

Tags: Penalties, Retirement