The Slott Report

Not every IRA transaction is easily identifiable. Some require a little legwork to reveal or report what occurred. Some transactions are not even labeled on official IRS tax forms and can go undetected. Here are three items that taxpayers and tax professionals alike can easily miss.

Question: I am 72 years old and want to start taking RMDs. I have multiple accounts from teaching jobs that I had many years ago, plus a couple of traditional IRAs and a 401(k) with my current employer. Can I total all of these up as of December 31, 2021 and take an RMD based on that number, or does each account have an RMD based on its value?

Roth IRAs offer a trade-off where you pay taxes now on your contribution (or conversion) in exchange for tax-free earnings later. Don’t miss out on tax-free Roth IRA distributions by making mistakes. Here are five steps to follow to make sure money comes out of your Roth IRA tax-free.

When it comes to IRAs and workplace plans, the concept of the “required beginning date” (RBD) is a “really big deal” again. The RBD is the first date you’re required to start required minimum distributions (RMDs). For traditional IRAs, the RBD is April 1 of the year following the year you turn age 72. (But if you were born before July 1, 1949, your RBD was April 1 of the year after the year you turned 70 ½.) There are no lifetime RMDs for Roth IRA owners, so they are always considered to have died before the RBD with respect to their Roth IRAs.

The Ed Slott team hosted a highly successful training program for members of our Elite and Master Elite Advisor groups last week in Las Vegas. Over 300 financial advisors from across the country attended. Feedback on the educational material provided was positive, with one attendee saying he “never felt more empowered” in his 18-year career.

Fall is in full swing now with football, foliage, and pumpkin spice everything. The holiday season is just around the corner. Before we know it, the year 2022 will come to an end. If you are considering converting an IRA to a Roth IRA in 2022, the clock is ticking. Here is what you need to know when making this decision:

SECURE Act regulations shoved the required beginning date (RBD) to the front of the stage. No longer can the RBD hide from the bright lights. What was once somewhat of a minor date in people’s lives has blossomed into an important event with cascading impacts on generations of potential beneficiaries.

Question: Hello, I inherited an IRA from my brother who passed away on January 6, 2022. His DOB was 12/31/1952. He had just turned 69. I am 75. My DOB is 6/26/1947. I understand the rules have changed regarding inherited RMD distributions recently and some accounts need to be depleted within a 10-year period.