Know Your IRA

Surprisingly, the rules governing what happens when an ex-spouse acquires a Roth IRA after divorce are unclear. Here are just three of the many key items to consider.

Trick-or-treating in the time of a pandemic is a challenge. Social distancing while handing out candy requires some creativity. The Slott Report and Eastern Planning Inc. has elected to place a big bowl of random treats in front of our house for the kids to pick from.

For trusts that inherited an IRA in 2019, an important deadline is approaching. October 31, 2020 is the due date to provide required trust documentation to the IRA custodian to ensure that the longest payout period possible is available for the inherited IRA.

IRAs are supposed to be for saving for retirement but in challenging economic times like these many individuals may be forced to take distributions before retirement age. Be careful! If you tap your IRA before reaching age 59 ½, the bad news is that you run the risk of being hit with the 10% early distribution penalty. The good news is that there are some exceptions to this penalty. You IRA distribution will still most likely be fully taxable, but you can spare yourself the additional 10% penalty if one of these exceptions apply to you.

Over 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment since March. With job loss can come questions of what to do with retirement savings such as your 401(k) plan. A rollover to an IRA may be a good move for you.

Like most people’s lives, the retirement world is upside down. This is made evident by a single statement: “Required minimum distributions (RMDs) can be rolled over.”