The Slott Report

Legal training is less about memorization and more about understanding how to break down complex problems. With that mind, I often suggest that people understand the law and not try to memorize it.

Hi, I am an advisor and attended the Instant IRA Success workshop in 2017 and found it really useful in my practice. I have a client situation I am trying to clarify and am sure you can help. The client ( husband )passed away on December 27, 2017 at age 82 and was taking RMDs from his IRA.

I just had a call from an advisor with a “complicated” scenario. “Ralph” died and left his IRA to his spouse “Alice.” Ralph was 62 in the year he died.

Generally, taking distributions from an IRA or qualified plan before retirement age should be a last resort. Of course, life has its unexpected pitfalls and at times, earlier access to these funds is necessary.

Question: Hi Ed: I have been reading you for more than 20 years – thank you for all your contributions to our industry. I have a client (about to be over 70 ½) whose new employer told him that he should roll all of his old employer plans and IRAs over to the new employer’s 403b plan (in which he is participating), for the purpose of avoiding having to take RMDs when he turns 70 ½.

The news has been filled with reports of the flooding and damage in North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Florence. As the cleanup continues, the IRS has announced tax relief for the storm’s victims.

Qualified plans are required to provide participants with a number of notices and information. There’s the Summary Plan Description, the Summary Annual Report, annual safe harbor notices (if applicable), plan account statements (either quarterly or annually), and the Special Tax Notice for distributions.

After last year’s passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which overhauled the tax code, you might think Congress would be done with tax legislation for a while. That is not the case.

Good Morning, I have a question in regards to Roth 401k vs Roth IRA. Can you roll over your Roth 401k to a Roth IRA to avoid the RMD that must be taken when the individual reaches 70 1/2 with a Roth 401k?

We constantly see questions regarding the distribution rules for Roth IRAs. Personally, I’ve always thought that the failure to understand these rules prevents many from truly appreciating the benefits of these accounts.