Tag: Retirement Planning

Why A Roth IRA Conversion May Now Be Advantageous

Sep 18, 2020

Roth IRA Conversion decisions have attracted retirement savers since their introduction in 1998. They offer the potential for tax-free retirement income, provided Internal Revenue Service rules are followed. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , , ,



Taxable Events in Retirement Accounts

Aug 31, 2020

When you distribute, sell, or receive assets from a retirement account, taxes usually follow. It is true for individuals; it is true for trusts. These decisions represent taxable events. (more…)

Tags: , , ,



Social Security Questions to ask Before Claiming

Aug 17, 2020

Determining when to take Social Security benefits is a complicated financial decision. Here are a few things to think about and discuss with your financial professional. (more…)

Tags: , , , , ,



The I.R.S. Has Enhanced the 2020 RMD Waivers

Jul 29, 2020

In March, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act became law. It was designed to help Americans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.1

The new law offered investors a financial break. It gave people the option to skip required minimum distributions (RMDs) from traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and 401(k)-style plans in 2020. (Original owners of Roth IRAs never have to take RMDs from those accounts.)2,3 (more…)

Tags: , , , , ,



What is Reg BI?

Jul 20, 2020

Recently, you may have heard that financial industry regulators established a new set of rules designed to guide investors who work with an investment professional. This new set of rules is called “Regulation Best Interest” rule, known colloquially as “Reg BI.” 1 (more…)

Tags: , , , ,



Retirement Plan Options for Small Businesses

Jun 17, 2020

As a small-business owner, figuring out retirement choices can be a little intimidating. How do you pick the most appropriate retirement plan for your business as well as your employees? (more…)

Tags: , , ,



Cash Balance Plans

May 27, 2020

In corporate America, pension plans are fading away. Only 16% of Fortune 500 companies offered them to full-time employees in 2018, according to Willis Towers Watson research. In contrast, legal, medical, accounting, and engineering firms are keeping the spirit of the traditional pension plan alive by adopting cash balance plans.1 (more…)

Tags: , , ,



Inherited Accounts Under the CARES Act

Apr 29, 2020

Inherited IRA Under CARES ACT
How the CARES Act Impacts RMDs

Tucked into the gigantic “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security” (“CARES”) Act were two key changes you should know about, regarding required minimum distributions (RMDs). Both were designed to give people more control over their money and to help manage selling investments during an emergency.1 (more…)

Tags: , , ,



CARES Act and Coronavirus Relief

Apr 2, 2020

From Our Partners at PAI: The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act has been a topic of discussion for weeks as legislators discussed the best way to give Americans a much-needed boost as the economy has faltered due to the Coronavirus. Signed into law in late March, there are several provisions that will help students, workers, and retirement plan participants to maintain more financial stability during this challenging time.

 

CARES Act changes retirement plan provisions for loans and tax-advantaged withdrawals

Retirees and workers alike have likely been groaning when looking at stock values over the last several weeks. While it takes some time for market volatility to level out, these provisions included in the CARES Act may provide retirement plan participants with additional flexibility and more options for loans and penalty-free withdrawals during this stressful time.

PENALTY-FREE WITHDRAWALS FROM RETIREMENT PLANS

Workers who are experiencing financial difficulty due to the effects of COVID-19 on their careers, health, and overall financial wellness will be able to take a penalty-free distribution from a retirement account, like a 401(k) or IRA, between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020.

Under normal circumstances, there is a 10 percent penalty tax added to the taxes paid on distributions from a retirement plan before a participant reaches age 59 1/2. However, the CARES Act includes a provision that allows eligible participants to take up to a $100,000 distribution from a retirement account without the addition of the 10 percent tax that normally accompanies an early withdrawal. This tax-favored withdrawal may be repaid to an eligible retirement plan within three years of taking the distribution, with the option to repay beyond the normal annual contribution limits.

Eligible participants for a coronavirus-related distribution are those who have been diagnosed with the virus (or have a spouse or dependent diagnosed), experience adverse financial consequences as a result of being quarantined, unable to work, laid off, or those who had work hours reduced due to the virus.

TEMPORARILY INCREASED LIMIT ON RETIREMENT PLAN LOANS

(more…)

Tags: , , ,



SECURE ACT Lesser Known Provisions

Feb 20, 2020

SECURE stack of binders and papers
What Younger Investors need to know

The SECURE Act passed into law in late 2019 and changed several aspects of retirement investing. These modifications included modifying the ability to stretch an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and changing the age when IRA holders must start taking requirement minimum distributions to 72-years-old.1,2 (more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,



More Insights

Apr 24, 2024

A thoughtful retirement strategy may help you pursue your many retirement goals. That strategy must consider many factors, and here are just a few: your income needs, the order of your withdrawals from taxable and tax-advantaged retirement accounts, the income tax implications of those withdrawals, and sequence of return risk.

Apr 22, 2024

Losing a spouse is a stressful transition. And the added pressure of having to settle the estate and organize finances can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make dealing with these matters less difficult.

Apr 19, 2024

Ever hear of critical illness insurance? This isn’t standard-issue disability insurance, but a cousin of sorts. With people living longer, it is a risk management option entering more people’s lives.

Apr 17, 2024

Following Iran’s missile and drone strikes on Israel over the weekend and the apparent escalation likely in any Israeli response, stocks fell sharply during Monday’s trading session. We examine the latest developments in the Middle East conflict, how stocks have reacted historically to geopolitical events, and the possible impact on markets moving forward.

Apr 15, 2024

Did you buy U.S. Savings Bonds decades ago? Or did your parents or grandparents purchase them for you? If they’re collecting dust in a drawer, you may want to take a look at them to see if any of your bonds have matured. If your bonds have matured, that means they are no longer earning … Continue reading “How US Savings Bonds Work”

Insights + Resources >