tax free

5 Reasons Why You Should NOT Open a Roth IRA

In my April 12 Slott Report entry (“5 Reasons to Open a Roth IRA Immediately!”), I included a handful of points as to why it was imperative to open a Roth IRA, especially before the tax filing deadline. But a coin has two sides. Here are 5 reasons why you should NOT open a Roth IRA:

5 Roth IRA Facts That May Surprise You

Do you think you understand all the rules that govern your Roth IRA? Not so fast! There are many misconceptions as to how these complicated accounts work. Here are 5 Roth IRA facts that might surprise you.

The 10% Penalty Exception Quiz

Retirement plans are intended to be used for retirement. However, sometimes life gets in the way and you need to tap those funds early. Generally, when you take a distribution from your retirement plan prior to reaching age 59 1/2, you will be hit a with a 10% early distribution penalty. However, there are some exceptions to the penalty. Determining whether an exception applies can be tricky because some exceptions apply only to IRAs and some apply only to company plans. Other exceptions apply to both. Take our 10% early distribution quiz and see how well you know these complicated rules.

Why Your Kids Don’t Want Your HSA

Do you have an HSA? Have you thought about what will happen to those funds after you are gone? You may be surprised. At your death, any funds remaining in your HSA are payable to the beneficiary you name on the account. If your spouse is your beneficiary the news is good. If your kids get your HSA, they may not fare so well.

10 Things You Must Know about HSAs

As the summer heats up, healthcare remains a hot topic. Will the ACA survive? Will Congressional Republicans succeed in repealing and replacing it? As we reach July these questions remain unanswered. One thing that is clear, however, is that Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are playing a significant role in the healthcare deliberations. Proponents advocate expanding these accounts as a way to save on health costs and get a tax break. Opponents argue that HSAs can’t help those who cannot afford to fund them.

How a Roth 401(k) is Different than a Roth IRA

Roth 401(k)s and Roth IRAs have a lot in common. Both offer the ability to make after-tax contributions now in exchange for tax-free earnings down the road if the rules are followed. However, there are some important differences between the two plans that you will want to understand.

Tax-Free Roth IRA Conversions?

We received many questions this past tax season about Roth IRA conversions that were supposed to be tax-free, but were not.

The Ultimate Rainy Day Fund; The Roth IRA

A recent Pew Charitable Trusts study released in March came to the scary conclusion that roughly one-third of Americans would have trouble coming up with $2,000 in the event of an emergency. Clearly, this is a problem. Try as one might, emergencies are bound to happen from time to time. Some of them may not have an impact on your finances, but many emergencies will. With that in mind, let’s talk for a moment about the ultimate emergency fund, the Roth IRA.

6 Tips for Making Your 2016 Roth IRA Contribution

Tax season is well underway. This is the time when you may be considering contributing to a retirement account. You may be interested in the Roth IRA, which offers the promise of tax-free withdrawals in retirement if you follow the rules. If you are deciding whether a 2016 Roth IRA contribution is the right move for you, here are 6 tips to keep in mind.

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Please contact Matt Smith at [email protected] or (516) 536-8282 with any questions.