Maybe you’ve heard the phrase “kiddie IRA”: it’s not a technical term. It refers instead to the use of a Roth IRA to help a young person start their investing career. Never too young?
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The history of the stock market can be summed up pretty well: it goes up and down. As for the future, we cannot know for certain whether it will continue to go up and down—or on what schedule—but it seems reasonable to take the liberty of guessing this whole “up and down” thing may persist.
When things are down 20% from their most recent peak, and we recognize it goes up and down, this may well be as good a time as any to invest.
We might have a recession, but current lower prices already reflect a lower outlook. You could say sentiment is already in the mix, already baked into prices. And anyway, where there’s a recession, there’s surely a recovery to follow.
Do we know the timing? Nope. But we never do. (That’s where the whole up-down thing comes back into focus.)
There is much we do not know, but we have faith that perhaps our guesses may be good enough to get by. We believe, for example, that in the future there is money to be made by companies that meet our needs. We have a hunch we will continue to eat, shop, entertain ourselves, wear clothes, go places, communicate, create, and do all those other things humans tend to do. And we have an opportunity now to invest in companies that could provide those things then.
Clients, some things to consider at such a moment as this:
It goes up and down. And when we invest for the long run, we commit to the ups and the downs both. One never knows when the trend will change, just that it very well may.
If it’s time for you to add to long-term holdings, please email us or call the shop—anytime.
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Some people consider the Roth IRA the “Swiss Army knife of finance.” A versatile tool, a Roth is useful in a lot of different circumstances. It might make sense to run through a review before year-end: your 2020 income tax situation may have an impact on your thinking.
Here are just a few uses of the Roth IRA to consider:
1. They can help you manage your lifetime total taxes.
You may be able to take advantage of relatively lower tax brackets now before income tax rates go up, as they are scheduled to after 2025 or in the case that future legislation raises tax rates. Converting existing retirement balances to Roth makes the amount converted taxable now—but wipes out taxes on future gains.
Moving temporarily depressed holdings from traditional IRAs to Roth involves paying tax only on the lower current value. Any recovery ends up being free of tax. (Airlines are an example of depressed stocks that may recover. No guarantees of course.)
2. They can add flexibility to your retirement planning.
Unlike traditional IRA balances, Roth IRAs do not have required minimum distributions (or RMDs). And they are a useful place to go for large retirement outlays without making a bulge in your tax bill. Planning to buy a second home, boat, or camper in retirement? Roth money might come in handy then.
3. They can make great gifts.
Roth IRAs can be wonderful for children or grandchildren with earned income who qualify to make Roth deposits because they have earnings but lack the funds with which to make deposits. Growth over the decades ahead may never be taxed.
4. They can help fund an education.
Parents seeking versatile education funding for their children may use their own Roth IRAs as a source of funds for that purpose. If not needed, the money may remain in the Roth and ultimately help fund their own retirement.
Right for you?
Again, the Roth is a versatile tool! What from the list is jumping out to you?
We understand that the end of the year can be a busy time. We would love to help you sort out these issues—just email us or call if they are pertinent to you.
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You may know that the requirement for some people to make withdrawals from their retirement accounts was waived for this year, 2020. In the past, these Required Minimum Distributions generally applied to people over age 70.
Since the waiver was passed after some people had already taken withdrawals out, the benefit was not evenly spread. But now new guidance has been issued.
Anyone who took out IRA distributitions in the first half of the year 2020 may now repay those distributions by August 31 and avoid paying tax. It could make sense to review your options if you are in this situatiton.
Among the considerations we’ll be looking at:
• Whether there are sufficient cash balances to make the repayment without strain.
• If repayment would make room for Roth IRA conversions instead of outright withdrawals.
• Thinking about the possibility of higher tax rates later, and leaving 2020 withdrawals in place.
Everyone has difference circumstances and objectives, so a personal consultation might make sense for you. Or you might want to review overall retirement funding options at this time.
Clients, if you would like to talk about this or anything else, please email us or call.
This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor.
Legislation intended to ameliorate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic changed the rules on IRA required minimum distributions.
The SECURE Act passed in December 2019 changed the beginning date for required distributions to the year after you turn 72. This applies to people who turn 70 and a half after last December 31st. Otherwise the old rule applies.
However, the CARES act signed in March wipes out any required minimum distribution for 2020. IRA owners may still take distributions at their option, but the Required Minimum Distribution does not apply. Taken together, these laws give IRA owners new flexibility.
Your personal situation may be affected by these changes. Your cash flow strategy, Roth conversion strategy, or tax strategy may need additional thought. Or you may want to revisit your retirement account investment strategy. Retirement accounts may be a significant portion of invested assets.
Bottom line: clients, if you would like to talk about how these changes affect you, please call or email us.
Recently a client asked us a common question. With a little room in the budget, should more money be added to retirement savings, or a regular investment account? Which one is better?
Of course, the answer depends on the situation. In the early and middle career stages, one might not put funds to be used before retirement into a retirement account. Saving for intermediate term goals like buying or trading homes, or buying a boat or camper, perhaps should be done outside of a retirement account.
But getting it down to fine points, some retirement plans have provisions for using money before retirement without penalty. We believe you can gain an edge by paying attention to the fine points. We like to outline all the alternatives so you can make a good decision.
On the other hand, money to be devoted to growing the orchard – a pool of capital that you may someday live on – should almost always be sheltered from taxes, if possible. This typically means into some form of retirement plan. The tax advantages may make a big difference over the years and decades ahead.
And retirement plans come in different flavors. Individual retirement accounts, employer plans of various kinds, Roth… there are many options.
Just as one cannot know whether the better tool is a hammer or a pair of pliers, one cannot know the best way to invest without understanding the job the money is supposed to do for you. That’s why we talk back and forth! You ask us things about our area of expertise, we ask you things about yours. A meeting of the minds is just the thing to make progress, with a collaborative process.
Clients, if you would like to talk about this (or anything else), please email us or call.
Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
The economy is doing well by many measures. Every small rise in GDP (gross domestic product, our total output of goods and services) brings us to a new record. The unemployment rate sits at a 50 year low.
Yet the federal budget deficit is in excess of one trillion dollars, a record. A massive deficit when the economy is this good is unprecedented. When the next recession strikes, we may need to spend an additional trillion dollars a year on top of the current annual shortfall.
The moral of the story: some believe that tax rates will be higher in the future.
If you have 401(k) or traditional IRA balances, you might think about converting some fraction of those balances into a Roth IRA. The downside: you will have to pay income tax on the amount you convert. The upside: once those taxes are paid, those funds will be immune from higher tax brackets later.
The future growth will also be free of tax, if withdrawal rules are followed. And Roth balances are exempt from Required Minimum Distributions, the requirement that you take money out every year after age 70.
Each of you has a different situation, different circumstances. We cannot know the future. But it makes sense to talk about and think about what may happen in your situation. A Roth conversion might make sense.
If you are in a low bracket this year relative to what you believe you might be paying later, we should talk. You can use up the lower brackets with Roth conversions instead of letting them go unused.
Clients, if you would like to talk about this or anything else, please email us or call.
Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor.
The economic forecasts set forth in this material may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful.
Traditional IRA account owners should consider the tax ramifications, age and income restrictions in regards to executing a conversion from a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The converted amount is generally subject to income taxation.
The Roth IRA offers tax deferral on any earnings in the account. Withdrawals from the account may be tax free, as long as they are considered qualified. Limitations and restrictions may apply. Withdrawals prior to age 59 ½ or prior to the account being opened for 5 years, whichever is later, may result in a 10% IRS penalty tax. Future tax laws can change at any time and may impact the benefits of Roth IRAs. Their tax treatment may change.
The Roth IRA concept was passed into law in 1997. It may be more pertinent than ever before. You see, once dollars are placed in a Roth, all the growth is free of tax when withdrawn, as long as the account is five years old and you are older than 59 ½.
Traditional retirement savings provide a tax advantage up front: contributions are not subject to income tax. Later on, withdrawals are taxed. The conventional wisdom was that tax brackets could be lower in the retirement years, so the tax later might not be too bad.
The way things look today, we may never see lower brackets than we have today. There are reasons to think that income taxes will be rising:
• The federal income tax changes passed in 2017 were temporary, with the old higher rates coming back after five years.
• Sooner or later the government may need more revenue to deal with record budget deficits and record national debt.
So the old conventional wisdom about lower tax brackets later may no longer apply. The Roth route may be the way to go.
What does this mean?
• Anybody with earned income may contribute to a Roth IRA, even past age 70, subject to a maximum income limit.
• Some employer plans (401k, 403b etc.) have Roth-type options that many employees could change to.
• Young adults with gifted UTMA accounts or other investments could use those funds to start Roth IRA’s.
• Parents or grandparents looking to give the next generation a boost could fund Roth IRA’s for any who have earned income.
• Anybody with IRA balances may convert any amount they choose to Roth, regardless of income. The converted amounts are subject to income tax, but ever after, the Roth benefits are in place.
The tax implications of a Roth conversion can be complicated. You should seek advice from a professional tax consultant. Your own situation and views should rule any decisions you make. Since we cannot know the future, there is no way to know which path is best. Like so many things in life, we will do the best with what we know.
Clients, if you would like to talk about this or anything else, please write or call.
Tax reform has delivered the lowest income tax rates in many years. These relatively low rates expire after five years. This brings up a great planning opportunity. The idea is to see if converting retirement assets to Roth IRA’s makes sense.
This is a classic “pay me now or pay me later” calculation. Normally, we want to pay later. But if we might get a discount on our taxes by paying now, we need to think about it.
Just as the best time to start Social Security retirement benefits depends partly on a fact we can’t know, the date of our death, the Roth conversion calculus has to include an assumption about future tax rates.
Some believe that with the spiraling budget deficits and national debt, tax rates must necessarily rise in the future. This makes sense to us, but we really cannot know. So having some assets in Roth format and some in traditional IRA format is a form of “tax diversification.” Split the difference.
Bottom line, your tax consultant might believe you will never foreseeably get below the 22% tax bracket (for example). So if you convert to Roth at a current tax cost of 22% and you or your heirs are ultimately taxed at 22% when funds are withdrawn, you broke even. The same after-tax money is available.
It is handy to note that breaking even produces some advantages. You will have greater ability in the future to choose where your withdrawals come from, and thus manage your future tax exposure year by year. You also could take out a lump sum from the Roth to help a child or buy a boat without aggravating your taxes that year. And you may avoid Required Minimum Distributions on the conversion.
If you convert to Roth at 22% and avoid future higher tax on withdrawals by you or your beneficiaries, you gained in terms of the after-tax result.
Clients, we believe we need to have this conversation with many of you before the end of 2018. It might significantly improve your financial security (or not.) If you have questions about this or any other topic, email us or call or set an appointment.
SEE ALSO: A Less Taxing Situation https://228main.com/2018/03/05/a-less-taxing-situation/
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific tax advice or recommendations for any individual.
Traditional IRA account owners should consider the tax ramifications, age and income restrictions in regards to executing a conversion from a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The converted amount is generally subject to income taxation.
This is a hypothetical example and is not representative of any specific situation. Your results will vary. The hypothetical rates of return used do not reflect the deduction of fees and charges inherent to investing.
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