Avoiding the 10% Penalty…in 5 Easy Steps

This week was midterm elections and we’ve had many questions about what it all could mean, which we’ll tackle in today’s blog. We consider it a great honor to vote, and while we may not know the final results of the election for days (or even months), what we do know is the election will …

Kevin Oleszewski, CFP® Senior Wealth Planner As the tax year draws to a close, many high-income investors will look to reposition their portfolios to intentionally generate losses as a way to offset gains — an investment strategy known as tax loss harvesting.

What is a prohibited transaction? A prohibited transaction occurs when an IRA owner uses IRA assets in a self-serving or self-dealing manner that improperly benefits the IRA owner.

What is a Roth IRA Conversion? A Roth IRA conversion is the process of moving IRA or employer plan assets to a Roth IRA.

What is a disclaimer? A disclaimer is a formal refusal of an inheritance (or part of an inheritance) by a beneficiary. By creating a “path” for disclaimed assets to follow, a skilled planner can provide a beneficiary with the option to pass assets to alternate beneficiaries.

Can IRAs be used to benefit a charity? IRAs can be a great source of funds to provide a benefit for a favorite charity, but these funds can create a number of traps that must be avoided in order to maximize benefits to both the charity and other IRA beneficiaries.

What is the 10% penalty? A 10% early distribution penalty applies to taxable distributions made before age 59 1/2. Distributions made after 59 1/2 are not subject to the 10% early distribution penalty. Download Guide

When do multiple beneficiaries exist? Multiple beneficiaries exist when an individual names more than one beneficiary for their IRA. When should you name more than one beneficiary? When you want your IRA assets to go to more than one person or entity without having to incur additional fees …

If I miss the 60-day deadline for completing an IRA rollover, is there anyway to save the rollover amount from tax? Failing to complete a 60-day rollover on time can cause the rollover amount to be taxed as income and perhaps subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty. However, the deadline …

What is an IRD (Income in Respect of a Decedent) deduction? An IRD deduction is a way of offsetting the impact of double taxation (federal estate tax and income tax) on certain inherited assets. It is an income tax deduction for the beneficiary (miscellaneous itemized deduction, not subject …