IRA distribution penalties

Close is Not Enough When It Comes to the 10% Penalty

A well-known quote attributed to baseball great, Frank Robinson, says “Close doesn't count in baseball. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” In a recent Tax Court Case, David D. Pritchard et ux. v. Commissioner; T.C. Memo. 2017-136 (July 10, 2017), the Court found the exceptions to the 10% penalty for early distributions from retirement accounts to be more like baseball than horseshoes or hand grenades. Close is not good enough!

Excess IRA Contributions – Too Much of a Good Thing

You can have too much of a good thing. A contribution to your IRA is a great way to save for retirement, but there are limits. If you exceed those limits you will end up with an excess IRA contribution and a tax mess. This was the fate of two taxpayers in a recent court case, where mega IRA contributions resulted in excess contributions and penalties.

When Is Your IRA Distribution Taxable?

It is year-end. Retirement account owners and beneficiaries are grappling with required distributions for 2013 and, in some cases, with missed distributions from prior years. When there is a missed distribution, we constantly get the question, “Do I have to do an amended tax return?” The answer is, “No.”Distributions from retirement accounts are taxable to the recipient in the year in which the funds come out of the account. Read more for some examples.

Using Your IRA to Buy Your First Home

IRA distributions that you take before age 59 ½ are considered early distributions that are subject to an IRS 10% early distribution penalty unless an exception applies. For IRAs, there are many exceptions to the penalty including death, disability, higher education, and others. A lesser known exception to the penalty applies if you use IRA funds to buy your first house.

Slott Report Mailbag: Can I Combine an Inherited IRA With My Own?

This week's Slott Report Mailbag covers some common questions we receive each week. One question deals with the date of a person's first required minimum distribution (RMD), another with a family member using their IRA to purchase their son's mortgage and a third on combining an inherited IRA with an individual's own IRA.

Tax Deadline Relief for Hurricane Sandy Victims

Hurricane Sandy, also known as "Super-Storm Sandy," did considerable damage in the Northeast part of the United States. As a result, the IRS issued several news releases describing the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for victims affected by Hurricane Sandy. These postponements also apply to IRA and other retirement plan deadlines. The relief applies to many counties in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.

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