- How Can I Reduce the Amount of My RMD Payments?
In the year that a required minimum distribution (RMD) is due from a 401(k), IRA or other pre-tax retirement account, you’re required to withdraw a certain amount and pay your taxes due to avoid a 50% penalty. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do about this, and the associated taxes. With proper planning,… read more…
- I Waited to Take My First RMD Until April 1st. Will This Affect My Second Year’s RMD?
Unlike most personal finance questions, the answer to this one is short and simple: yes, waiting until April 1st to take your first RMD will affect the amount of your second year’s RMD. The IRS rules on required minimum distributions – RMDs – demand that anyone turning 73 in 2024 withdraw a certain minimum amount… read more…
- How a 457(b) Plan Works After Retirement
Government employees, or those of a charity or religious organization, might have the opportunity to invest in a retirement account called a 457(b) account. These are tax-advantaged accounts that can help you effectively save for retirement, but they are subject to rules and laws that you must comply with to keep the tax-advantaged status. Additionally,… read more…
- I’m 60 With $1.1 Million in an IRA. Is It Worth Converting $100,000 Per Year to a Roth to Avoid RMDs?
Required minimum distributions, or RMDs, are a problem for some retirees. If that’s your situation, a Roth conversion may be able to help. The advantage to switching your money from a pre-tax portfolio, like a traditional IRA, to a post-tax Roth IRA is an end to RMD concerns. Since you’ve already paid taxes on the… read more…
- I’m 65 With $850,000 in an IRA. Is It Worth It to Convert That Money to a Roth to Avoid RMDs?
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) from pre-tax retirement accounts can have a number of unintended consequences. These mandatory withdrawals can push you into a higher tax bracket, reduce your investment flexibility, increase your Medicare premiums and result in more of your Social Security benefits being taxed. If you’re planning to convert IRA funds to a Roth… read more…
- This Is My First Year Taking RMDs. What Should I Do With the Money If I Don’t Need It Yet?
Anyone with a 401(k), traditional IRA or similar tax-deferred retirement account eventually is going to face the requirement to start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their accounts. The IRS has allowed you to have what can be decades of tax-free growth in the account, along with years of tax deductions, so they eventually requiring… read more…
- I’m 62 With $1 Million in a 401(k). Should I Convert $100,000 Per Year to a Roth IRA to Avoid RMDs?
Retirees with significant assets often have to plan around required minimum distributions (RMDs). If you already have sufficient income and don’t need the money in a pre-tax portfolio, annual RMDs can cost you significantly in otherwise-unnecessary taxes. For example, say that you have $1 million in a 401(k). The IRS could require you to withdraw… read more…
- When Should I Take My First RMD?
You may not be thinking about required minimum distributions (RMDs) throughout your career, but chances are that they’ll be on your mind once you hit your 70s. RMDs are a critical part of retirement planning. A financial advisor can help you prepare for these mandatory withdrawals, which can have a significant impact on your taxes.… read more…
- I’m 55 With $900,000 in an IRA. Should I Convert $100,000 Per Year to a Roth to Avoid RMDs?
At age 55 with $900,000 in a traditional individual retirement account (IRA), converting $100,000 per year to a Roth IRA could help reduce required minimum distributions (RMDs) and related taxes in retirement. Although Roth conversions create current tax liabilities, paying taxes now may result in more predictable and lower lifetime taxes. Taking an incremental Roth… read more…
- I Was Planning on Taking My RMDs and Converting Them to a Roth, But Was Told I Can’t. Is That True?
If you’re looking for a tax-savvy way to deal with you required minimum distributions (RMDs), converting them into a Roth IRA isn’t an option. A financial advisor can help you plan for RMDs and figure out if a Roth conversion is right for you. It’s relatively common for retirees to need a plan for their… read more…
- Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator
Use SmartAsset’s RMD calculator to see what your required minimum distributions look like now and in the future. Enter your retirement account balance at the end of the previous year, your age at the end of this year and the expected rate of return on the account to calculate your RMDs. Do you have retirement… read more…
- Is It Better to Take My RMD Later or Earlier in the Year? How Do I Decide?
People often think they don’t have any choice about taking the IRS-mandated required minimum distributions from their retirement accounts – but they do. While you can’t skip making the withdrawal they can choose how to time it in a way that works best for their individual financial situation. Required minimum distributions – RMDs, for short… read more…
- I’m 62 With $1.5 Million in an IRA. Should I Convert $150k Per Year to a Roth to Avoid RMDs?
A 62-year-old with $1.5 million in a traditional IRA may be wise to consider converting $150,000 per year to a Roth IRA to avoid required minimum distributions (RMDs). The annual withdrawals from retirement accounts that are mandated by RMD rules can raise your tax bill in retirement by adding to your taxable income, even if… read more…
- RMD Penalty Waiver Letter Sample
RMDs are mandatory annual withdrawals from your retirement accounts. The IRS requires these distributions to occur, even during rocky periods of life. Fortunately, if you failed to take an RMD during your retirement plan, you can avoid the looming penalty with a tax form waiver letter. Here’s what you need to know about the penalty… read more…
- How to Calculate Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are withdrawals you have to make from most retirement plans (excluding Roth IRAs). The age for withdrawing from retirement accounts was increased in 2020 to 72 from 70.5. The SECURE 2.0 Act, though, raised the age for… read more…
- IRS Waives Missed RMD Penalty for Some Inherited IRAs
The IRS announced late Friday that there will be no excise tax penalty on missed required minimum distributions (RMDs) of inherited IRAs for tax years 2021 and 2022. Final rules of what amounts to an unexpected tax reprieve for some… read more…
- 4 Strategies to Limit RMDs
Saving for retirement is hard. It takes discipline, intelligence and likely a little bit of luck. You have to put money into your retirement fund consistently, make smart investment choices and hope that none of them end up going sideways.… read more…
- 84% of Retirees Are Making This RMD Mistake
Though retirees are only required to take a certain portion of their retirement savings out as distributions each year, a study from JPMorgan Chase shows that there is likely good reason to take out more. A withdrawal approach based solely on… read more…
- 6 Strategies to Reduce Your RMDs
Individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k)s and other workplace plans can help you build wealth for the future while enjoying some tax benefits. There’s just one important thing you need to plan for: required minimum distributions (RMDs). The IRS requires you to begin taking distributions from certain retirement accounts beginning at age 73 (72 prior to… read more…
- Is an RMD Needed If You’re Still Working?
If you contribute to a tax-advantaged retirement account at work or a traditional IRA, Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are something you’ll need to factor into your financial plan. These distributions are minimum amounts you’re required to withdraw from your retirement accounts once you reach age 72. You might be wondering whether you have to take… read more…
- IRS May Close This RMD Loophole
Most Americans have at least heard of a 401(k) plan, but there is another tax-advantaged workplace retirement plan out there — the 403(b). A 403(b) operates similarly to a 401(k), but is generally only available to public sector employees and some non-profit workers — including teachers, university employees and religious leaders. While in many ways… read more…
- Is It Better to Take RMD Monthly or Annually?
After a certain age, you must begin to take minimum withdrawals from your tax-advantaged retirement accounts. The exact amount of this required minimum distribution or RMD is determined by a number of factors, including your age and the amount you… read more…
- Secure 2.0 Act: How Your RMDs Might Be Impacted
The Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022, dubbed SECURE 2.0 Act, will replace the current age for required minimum distributions (RMDs) with a sliding scale that would enable anybody who turns 74 after December 31, 2032 to delay RMDs… read more…
- Good News for Retirees: RMD Formula Changing for First Time in Decades
The IRS has good news for retirees starting in 2022: you can now keep more money in your tax-deferred retirement accounts thanks to lower required minimum distributions (RMDs). For the first time in 20 years, the Internal Revenue Service has updated its actuarial tables that dictate how much a person is required to withdraw from… read more…
- 6 Tips for Understanding Required Minimum Distribution Rules
Mapping out your retirement strategy involves more than just tossing money into a tax-advantaged account; you also have to pay attention to what the guidelines are for pulling the cash back out. Certain types of qualified savings plans, including 401(k)s… read more…