By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi, I inherited my husband's 401(k) when he died last year. I kept the assets with the 401(k)[...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Required minimum distributions (RMDs) were waived for 2020 but they are back now for 2021. [...]
George Nichols III is the 10th President and Chief Executive Officer in The American College of Financial Services’ storied history. He continues to[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi, Ed, I am hoping I get to attend one or more of your events IN PERSON this year! If you have [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst In my blog entry from March 22, I discussed the formula for calculating the amount of a direct Roth IRA [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Has the deadline to make an IRA contribution for 2020 been extended since the [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Fewer and fewer workers are participating in defined benefit pension (DB) plans these days. The high cost of [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst When it comes to contributing directly to a Roth IRA, an individual must have modified adjusted gross [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi, I found you by searching to find out if we can offer two SIMPLE IRA options for our [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The CARES Act waived required minimum distributions (RMDs) for 2020, but they are back for [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst We’ve been getting a number of questions lately about whether it’s too late to set up a new solo 401(k) plan for[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have self-directed traditional and Roth accounts at an SDIRA Custodian. Can I do a Roth [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Casinos have house rules. These rules dictate what patrons can [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport For those just starting out, saving for retirement[...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: I am 75 years old and am planning to retire this year. I have a 401(k) plan [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst For an area as highly regulated as IRAs and company plans, it’s not surprising that there’s a ton of abbreviated[...]
Thursday, February 25, 2021 A Preview of Ed Slott’s New Book: The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb By Ed Slott, CPA If you’re[...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Have you contributed to a Roth IRA for 2020? If you have not, you still have some time. The [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst When we think of rollovers, we normally think of moving funds from a 401(k) (or other company plan) to an IRA. But[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi, I have a client that took a $14k IRA distribution on 1/10/2021 and another $14k distribution on [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Surprisingly, the rules governing what happens when an ex-spouse acquires a Roth IRA after divorce are [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Whenever there is a new administration there is a lot of uncertainty about what the change [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I am going to turn 72 in December of 2021. When I take my RMD, what is the dollar amount I [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst One of the many unfortunate effects of the coronavirus pandemic is the number of folks who have lost their jobs. [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Educations Question: Hi! I am over 60 and have had a self-directed Roth IRA for the past 15 [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst It is early 2021 and two ingredients mix again: retirement money in motion, and required minimum [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education A Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) is a popular choice for many small employers. Although [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The Internal Revenue Code is over 4,000 pages of often unintelligible tax jargon. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I hope you can help me with this, as I cannot find the answer anywhere or from anyone. In 2019, my [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Here we go again…barreling headlong into another tax season. This year will be like no other. With all [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The rules for rolling over IRA distributions can be complicated at any time of the year. [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: We had a client who died with no beneficiaries on his $500k 401(k). He wasn’t[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Coronavirus-related distributions (CRDs) are no more. Millions of Americans took advantage of the opportunity to [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As we enter tax season and consider last year’s transactions, it bears repeating: Roth [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I recently retired and I plan to relocate to Tennessee. I would like to purchase a new home. [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The SECURE Act made many changes to the rules for beneficiaries who inherit retirement [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst There’s been some confusion about the retirement plan aspects of the COVID-19 stimulus package signed into law on [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst We are just a few days into the new year, and many people are anxious to get their full IRA contributions [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education A new year brings a fresh start, and after 2020, we need that more than ever. You probably [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Can a retired person not working contribute to a Roth IRA? Answer: [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst From The Slott Report, December 30, 2019: “2020 promises to be an exciting year in the IRA and savings plan [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Ah, the end of the year. Snow is drifting, music plays quietly in the background. Ma in her kerchief, Papa[...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Recently, I received two checks, one for all assets in a Traditional IRA and one for all [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education We at the Slott Report would like to wish all our readers a happy and safe holiday season. [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst One year ago from yesterday (December 20, 2019), President Trump signed into law the SECURE Act. At that time, [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello, Can you still recharacterize a Roth contribution (due to income limits) to a Traditional IRA [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Bob is 40 years old. He is a single tax filer, participates in a 401(k) at work, and makes a healthy [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The end of 2020 is almost here. With the end of the year come certain retirement account [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: I am 79 and still employed. My employer has an SEP for me and I have a [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Thinking of using your IRA as a “short-term loan” to raise some extra cash for the holidays? What could go [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Recently we became aware of a multi-layered tax strategy that we think is a bridge too far when it comes [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: My father passed away in 2019 and left me an IRA. Will the SECURE Act apply, or will it be [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The clock is ticking if you are considering converting your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Thanksgiving is behind us, and the end of the year will be here soon. (Many of us are truly thankful for that!) [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst We have collectively crawled into the hollow of a 2020 tree and found ourselves in the Upside Down. (That [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The IRS has recently added a new reason for self-certification of late rollovers to its [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Good Morning, We have a client that passed away in November of 2019 at the age of 85. Her [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst We continue to get questions about the limits that apply for folks who participate in multiple company savings plans[...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst With Veterans Day being just last week, an overview of two military retirement benefits felt like an [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Great work you all do. Been a reader of Ed for a long time. How would this scenario work? New[...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst When a person under the age of 59 ½ takes a withdrawal from their IRA or company plan - like a 401(k) –[...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The year 2020 has been a challenging one. With coronavirus cases rising in most of the [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Our estate planning attorney prepared trust documents a few years ago and he advised us to name the [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The October 19, 2020 Slott Report article, "Don't Overlook After-Tax Contributions!," explained how after-tax [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi there! I have a quick question, so I thought I’d reach out to you to get your take on[...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst An argument could be made that the easiest financial document to complete is the IRA beneficiary form. Yet[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Think of a top hat, and you’ll likely conjure up images of Franklin Delano Roosevelt or the temporarily-deceased [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Ed and team, I am sure my question has been asked by others. Now under the SECURE Act with no more[...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education A significant percentage of IRA assets will ultimately go to nonspouse beneficiaries. When [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Gradually, the IRS is clarifying sections of the SECURE Act that require further guidance. In Notice [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Does the SECURE Act have any implication to Roth IRA account inheritance [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst In Notice 2020-68, issued September 2, 2020, the IRS gave limited guidance on certain retirement provisions of the [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Good Afternoon Ed Slott and Company, LLC, I was inquiring about a recent situation with a [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, or maybe even because of it, real estate markets in many [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As sure as the sun will rise, someone will take a distribution from his IRA tomorrow. And as sure as the [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I had taken an RMD in January 2020 from an IRA account. Then in July, I returned a portion back to the [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Some of you may have received an RMD (required minimum distribution) from an IRA or employer plan earlier this year [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The upcoming school year for many students is going to look like nothing we have ever seen [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: In December of 2018 I did my first partial Roth IRA conversion into a new Roth [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Dollar cost averaging is a tried-and-true investment strategy that has existed for decades. Using this [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you may have already received, or may be receiving, an RMD (required minimum distribution) from your [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Client has a Thrift Savings Plan and took RMDs in January, February and March of 2020. Client[...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education We are in the dog days of summer and this year is a crazy and unsettling time. The last [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Yes, trusts can play an instrumental role in estate planning. Yes, special needs trusts are invaluable to [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I can't find the answer to this question anywhere, so I thought I'd go straight to the experts. Does[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Hidden within the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) signed into law last [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Last year the SECURE Act became law and eliminated the stretch IRA for millions of IRA [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: I have a very simple ROTH IRA question. I borrowed money from my ROTH IRA with[...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A financial advisor contacted me about her client who had recently passed away. The advisor was legitimately[...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst With more 401(k) plans offering Roth contributions and more folks taking distributions from their plans, now’s a [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Once the RMD’s for 2020 were suspended, I withdrew what would have been my RMD from my [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst It happens. You have made a 2019 contribution to the wrong type of IRA. All is not lost. That contribution can be[...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The IRA and plan rollover rules have been in constant flux this year. We are now past the original July 15 [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: For COVID "special" Aug 31 rollovers, am I allowed to return my 401(k) required minimum distribution [...]
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Admittedly, it’s not such a bad problem to have. Nonetheless, it’s true that high-paid company plan participants[...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The countdown to the much delayed 2019 tax filing deadline is on. The deadline is July 15, 2020, which is only a [...]
By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I am aware of the IRA one-rollover-per-year rule. What I can’t find is if a married [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As we have written on many occasions, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (CARES [...]
By Ian Beger, JD IRA Analyst There’s been a flurry of recent government regulation of company retirement plans. Here’s a quick summary: [...]
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: If someone took two IRA distributions earlier in 2020 that were considered RMDs, and now [...]
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