Tax management can be complex, particularly for those who are not well-versed in tax laws and regulations. A variety of common tax traps can await you, which could significantly eat into your retirement income and savings. Such traps may include taxes on Social Security benefits, Medicare surcharges, required minimum distributions (RMDs), real estate sales and estimated quarterly tax payments. To best protect yourself, consider speaking with a financial advisor.
1. Minimizing Social Security Taxes for Benefits
Social Security benefits are an important part of your retirement income. But these benefits may also get taxed. The IRS calculates how your benefits could get taxed by determining your combined income. This is made up of half of your Social Security benefits and the total amount of all your other income (including tax-exempt interest).
In 2024, individual taxpayers with a combined income under $25,000 do not have to pay taxes. Those with a combined income between $25,000 and $34,000 will pay taxes up to 50% of their benefits. And for a combined income greater than $34,000, taxes will be up to a maximum of 85%.
Married couples filing a joint return will pay taxes up to 50% of their Social Security income for a combined income between $32,000 and $44,000. And a combined income over $44,000 will pay taxes up to 85%.
Some strategies can help you potentially reduce or even avoid taxes on your Social Security benefits. For instance, delaying the start of benefits until reaching full retirement age or later might increase the monthly benefit amount, which could offset potential taxation. Another tactic could be making tax-efficient withdrawals from other retirement accounts to manage your income. This might lower the portion of your Social Security benefits subject to taxation.
2. Avoiding Taxes on Medicare Surcharges
Medicare surcharges, formally known as income-related monthly adjustment amounts (IRMAA), are additional charges appended to Medicare Part B and Part D premiums for those with higher income. Several strategies can be employed to reduce or even completely avoid these taxes, including:
- Income planning: This involves managing your income to stay below the IRMAA threshold.
- Strategic withdrawal strategies: This strategy similarly focuses on coordinating the timing of withdrawals from retirement accounts to reduce or eliminate potential surcharges based on Medicare income thresholds.
- Tax-efficient investing: This can help avoid Medicare surcharges by minimizing your taxable income, managing capital gains and using tax-advantaged accounts to stay within lower income thresholds.
3. Avoiding Taxes on Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are essentially the minimum amount you need to withdraw from certain retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), annually starting at age 73 in 2024. The minimum amount you need to withdraw is calculated using tables provided by the IRS, which take into account your age and the balance of your account.
One strategy that retirement savers can use is a Roth conversion, which involves transferring funds from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. This can be beneficial because distributions from a Roth IRA are tax-free. Furthermore, there are no mandatory withdrawals based on age, so your retirement saving can keep growing during your lifetime. Take note: A Roth conversion is a taxable event, meaning that you will have to pay taxes upfront for the money you move to a Roth IRA.
Another common strategy involves making qualified charitable distributions (QCDs). If you are aged 70.5 or older, you can donate up to $105,000 in 2024 (the SECURE Act 2.0 raised the original amount of $100,000 to index for inflation) from your IRA directly to a qualified charity. This could fulfill your RMD and also avoid income tax on the distributed amount.
Lastly, strategic withdrawal plans can also help manage your RMDs and their tax implications. By spreading out withdrawals over a longer period, you may be able to stay within a lower tax bracket.
4. Avoiding Taxes on a Real Estate Sale
Capital gains can eat into your real estate sale by triggering tax obligations on the profit earned from that sale. When it comes to real estate sales, if the property has increased in value since it was bought, the seller could be liable for capital gains tax on that profit.
Common tax exemptions and deductions applicable to real estate sales can greatly reduce the tax burden on capital gains. One such tax break is the home sale exclusion, which allows individuals to exclude up to $250,000 (or $500,000 for married couples) of gain on the sale of their home, provided that they have lived in the home for at least two of the five years before the sale.
5. Avoiding Penalties on Estimated Quarterly Tax Payments
Estimated quarterly tax payments play a significant role in managing annual tax obligations. They are a method by which the IRS collects taxes on income that isn’t subject to withholding, including earnings from self-employment, business earnings, interest, rent or other sources. For example, if you’re a freelancer earning $50,000 and fail to make estimated quarterly tax payments, you could face a hefty year-end tax bill.
Late or missed payments can result in penalties. The IRS calculates penalties separately for each required installment, so you may owe a penalty for an earlier payment due date, even if you paid enough tax later to make up the underpayment.
You can avoid penalties on estimated quarterly tax payments by accurately estimating your income, making timely payments and adjusting your payments as needed throughout the year to align with any changes in your financial situation.
Bottom Line
By understanding the common tax traps that can impact your retirement income and savings, and by implementing specific strategies for your situation, you could position yourself for a successful retirement.
Tips for Tax Planning
- A financial advisor can help you avoid unnecessary taxes. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- If you need to estimate your potential tax obligation, consider using a free income tax calculator.
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