By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Have you contributed to a Roth IRA for 2020? If you have not, you still have some time. The deadline for making a prior year contribution is the tax-filing deadline, not including any extensions you might have. For...
Weekly Market Commentary 2/19/2021 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets sold off a bit last week in a rotational trade into pro-cyclical sectors and out of growth stocks. Fourth-quarter earnings continued to come in better than expected while economic data for the week was...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst When we think of rollovers, we normally think of moving funds from a 401(k) (or other company plan) to an IRA. But it sometimes makes sense to consider a “reverse rollover” – from an IRA to a 401(k). Unfortunately, although 401(k) plans...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi, I have a client that took a $14k IRA distribution on 1/10/2021 and another $14k distribution on 2/10/2021. He wants to replace all $28k using the 60 day rollover as funds are no longer needed. Does the 60 day rollover rule...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Surprisingly, the rules governing what happens when an ex-spouse acquires a Roth IRA after divorce are unclear. There are no specific directions in the Tax Code or in the regulations. However, there is definitive guidance for a...
CORONAVIRUS Reactions to COVID-19 and the impact on consumer confidence is prompting many consumers to reassess their retirement and financial plans. A majority of today’s workers and retirees range from feeling cautious to pessimistic about the economic outlook for...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Whenever there is a new administration there is a lot of uncertainty about what the change will mean for retirement accounts. In 2021, this change is happening in the middle of a pandemic that has upended the lives...
Weekly Market Commentary 2/12/2021 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets rallied to all-time highs on continued positive sentiment surrounding the reopening of global economies and on the fear of missing out on further gains. Markets opened the week on a strong note with...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I am going to turn 72 in December of 2021. When I take my RMD, what is the dollar amount I use to calculate my RMD? Is it the account value ending December 31, 2020, or December 31, 2021? Thank you for any clarification....
FERS INFORMATION Eligibility is determined by your age and number of years of creditable service. In some cases, you must have reached the Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) to receive retirement benefits. Use the following chart to figure your Minimum Retirement Age....
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst One of the many unfortunate effects of the coronavirus pandemic is the number of folks who have lost their jobs. Besides the loss of income, many of these individuals also face unexpected and unpleasant tax consequences if they have an...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Educations Question: Hi! I am over 60 and have had a self-directed Roth IRA for the past 15 years. I would like to roll some of it over to another self-directed Roth where I could invest in crypto-currency. Is this possible?...
Weekly Market Commentary 2/5/2021 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets rebounded strongly in the first week of February. Fourth-quarter earnings continued to beat expectations, vaccines continued to go into arms, and economic data continued to be mixed, which fostered more...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst It is early 2021 and two ingredients mix again: retirement money in motion, and required minimum distributions (RMDs). This may not appear to be a dangerous concoction, but when improperly combined, the results can be a bitter...
Your Social Security benefit may be taxable. Try these strategies to reduce your tax bill in retirement. MOST WORKERS PAY INTO the Social Security program throughout their career. Many people also pay taxes on part of their Social Security payments in retirement....
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education A Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) is a popular choice for many small employers. Although these plans are in fact designed to be less complex than other types of retirement plans, there are many ways to go wrong...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The Internal Revenue Code is over 4,000 pages of often unintelligible tax jargon. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the law contains more than its share of baffling and inconsistent provisions. Here are four examples pertaining to...
Weekly Market Commentary 1/29/2021 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets sold off in volatile trade as retail investors wreaked havoc in heavily shorted companies. The fourth-quarter earnings season continued to produce better than expected results, although it appears stock...
-Darren Leavitt, CFA Financial markets started 2021 in strong form but lost some ground in the final week of trade. Covid-19 vaccines continued to be developed, and inoculations continued to be administered to front line workers and the elderly. A light at the end...
Why you should look for other solutions first More than 4 of 10 jobs lost during the pandemic may never come back, the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago predicts. That grim statistic means many pre-retirees may not find work again....
