RMDs

For clients fortunate enough to not need them, minimum distributions are not required this year in most — if not all — cases.

The rule change is designed to have an impact in the fight against COVID-19 and applies only to donations made to charitable organizations, an expert says.

How will the relief package impact retirement accounts? CPA Ed Slott fields this and other top financial planning queries.

“Concerns over the program's ability to pay promised benefits have been around for a long while, but they're heightened,” an expert says.

Clients may consider rebalancing their portfolio more often to address asset allocation shifts as a result of the downturn.

A rule designed to prevent simple deduction abuses brings significant complexity to planning.

The IRS now says some unwanted RMDs can be undone, eliminating the tax bill

Cash-strapped taxpayers may consider waiting until the new deadline to pay or to request a payment plan to buy more time to settle their tax bill.

Seniors should focus on what they can control — such as their reaction to market volatility and their long-term savings.

The passage extends the IRA contribution deadline and waives RMDs for 2020. Here’s what else financial advisors need to know.

“[By extending the tax deadline], they automatically extended the deadline to make an IRA contribution last year,” an expert says.

If they plan to use them for current spending, “then the timing of the distribution would not matter for tax purposes,” an expert writes.

Designating charities as a beneficiary of their retirement accounts is one strategy that can enhance their tax savings.

Older clients who have lost a job prior to retirement are advised to first consider filing for unemployment insurance and begin making revisions to their budget.

Aside from income taxes, retirees will also pay consumer taxes and may face a 3.8% Medicare surtax.

Seniors choosing between traditional and Roth IRAs must account for their current and future tax rates.

A Roth conversion “not only to minimize heirs’ tax burden but also to sustain the growth of [their] retirement savings."

The sweeping retirement legislation, called the Secure Act, is gaining plenty of headlines. One revision is being overlooked.

Seniors may consider working longer or relocating somewhere where their benefits are not subject to state taxes.

Advisors can protect clients’ estate planning goals post-Secure Act but the vehicle will have to change.