Back Door IRA, The Conclusion

Posted on by in 401(k), 403(b), Estate Planning, Income Tax, Index Investing, IRAs, Life Insurance, Retirement Planning, Roth 401(k), Roth IRA, Roth IRA Conversions, Social Security, Tax Law, Traditional IRA and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Roth-IRA-conversions,James-LangeRecharacterizations

Disclaimer: Please note that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 removed the ability for taxpayers to do any “recharacterizations” of Roth IRA conversions after 12/31/2017. The material below was created and published prior the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. 

Converting to a Roth IRA also comes with another very unique advantage. The IRS allows you a one-time opportunity to recharacterize or “undo” this conversion by October 15th of the following tax year. IRS publication 590 states that, “a recharacterization allows you to ‘undo’ or ‘reverse’ a rollover or conversion to a Roth IRA. To recharacterize, you generally instruct the trustee of the financial institution holding your Roth IRA to transfer the amount back to a traditional IRA (in a trustee-to-trustee or within the same trustee). If you do this by the due date for your tax return (including extensions), you can treat the contribution as made to the traditional IRA for that year (effectively ignoring the Roth IRA contribution)”. In the case of a Backdoor Roth IRA, you probably won’t think about recharacterizing. However, if you want to explore this option, we are here to help assist you, because like many of the other rules involved this can be complicated.

Conclusion

While Backdoor Roth IRAs can be beneficial to many investors, they aren’t for everyone. They come with their limitations and complications. There are precautions that need to be taken to reap the full benefits of any financial decision. This is an area where a highly informed financial advisor can help you make an educated and calculated decision. You should always consult with your financial advisor and tax professional to help avoid tax ramifications.

As always, we are here to help and can look at your specific financial situation and chart the right path for you. If you are interested in learning more about whether or not a Backdoor Roth would be right for you and your specific situation, please call us and we would be happy to discuss this with you. As always, we enjoy the opportunity to assist you in addressing your financial matters.

Financial Check-Up

 

Complimentary Financial Check-up

If you are currently not a client of The Lange Financial Group, we would like to offer you a complimentary, one-hour, private consultation with one of our professionals at absolutely no cost or obligation to you.

To schedule your financial check-up, please call 412-521-2732 or fill out our Pre-Qualification Form here.

Thank you,
James Lange

 

 

This article is for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice as individual situations will vary. For specific advice about your situation, please consult with a lawyer or financial professional.

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 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.

Roth IRA account owners should consider the potential tax ramifications, age and contribution deductibility limits in regard to executing a re-characterization of a Roth IRA to a Traditional IRA.

The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of The Lange Financial Group, LLC, and should not be construed, directly or indirectly, as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Investors should be aware that there are risks inherent in all investments, such as fluctuations in investment principal. With any investment vehicle, past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Material discussed herewith is meant for general illustration and/or informational purposes only, please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, the information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. This material contains forward looking statements and projections. There are no guarantees that these results will be achieved. © Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors, 2014

 

Benefits of a Roth IRA

Posted on by in 401(k), Income Tax, IRAs, Retirement Planning, Roth IRA, Roth IRA Conversions, Tax Law, Traditional IRA and tagged , , , , , , , , , .

Back Door IRA, James Lange, Pittsburgh, Retirement Planning

There are numerous benefits to converting to a Roth IRA. Please remember, it is important to review all of your retirement accounts before converting to a Roth IRA. Some benefits of a Roth IRA include;

• Required minimum distributions are not obligatory until the participant’s death.

• Withdrawals are tax free.

• They pass onto your heirs income tax-free.

• You can compound your investments in a tax-free fashion.

 

Am I a Candidate for a Backdoor Roth IRA?

Backdoor Roth IRAs can be appropriate for investors who:

  • Only have retirement account through their jobs (i.e. 401k’s) and want to increase their retirement savings in tax-advantaged accounts, but whose income is too high to qualify for standard Roth IRA contributions; and
  • Have the time and ability to wait for five years or until they are 59 ½ to avoid the 10% penalty on early withdrawals. (If you open and make contributions to a Roth IRA in the standard manner, i.e. not through conversion, you are not subject to this rule).

A Backdoor Roth IRA is probably not recommended if you:

  • Are over the age of 70½ and can no longer contribute to a traditional IRA.
  • Don’t want to contribute more than the maximum retirement limit through your workplace retirement account.
  • Already have money in a traditional IRA and because of the Pro Rata rule may end up in a non-tax advantageous position when converting to a Backdoor Roth IRA.
  • Plan or expect to withdraw the funds in the Roth IRA within the first five years of opening it. A Backdoor Roth is considered a conversion and not a contribution. Therefore, the funds will incur a 10% penalty if withdrawn within five years unless you are age 59 ½ or older.
  • Are in a high tax bracket now and expect to be in a lower tax bracket in the future.
  • Plan to relocate to a lower- or no- income tax state.

 

Stay tuned for my next blog post, Recharacterizations and the Conclusion!

Disclaimer: Please note that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 removed the ability for taxpayers to do any “recharacterizations” of Roth IRA conversions after 12/31/2017. The material below was created and published prior the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. 

Want to learn more? Give us a call at 412-521-2732.

– James Lange

 

Beware of the Pro Rata Rule for Roth Conversions

Posted on by in 401(k), IRAs, IRS, Retirement Planning, Roth 401(k), Roth IRA, Roth IRA Conversions, Tax Law, Traditional IRA and tagged , , , , , , , , , , .

What is the Pro Rata rule for Roth conversions?

The Pro Rata rule for Roth conversions states that if you have any other deductible IRAs (i.e. a previous 401k that you’ve rolled over), the conversion of any contributions becomes a taxable event that you’ll need to pay taxes on upfront.

The Pro Rata rule for Roth conversions determines whether or not your conversion will be taxable! For taxation purposes, the IRS will look at your entire IRA holdings (even if they are in different accounts), not just the traditional IRA you are converting to a Roth IRA, and will determine what your tax bill will be based upon a ratio of IRA assets that have already been taxed to those IRA assets in total.

The IRS determines the tax on this conversion based on the value of all of your IRA assets. For example Jane, a high income earner, already has $94,500 in an IRA account, all of which has never been taxed.  She decides on January 2nd to put $5,500 into a new traditional IRA. The next day she converts the new traditional non-deductible IRA to a Roth IRA.  Jane’s income is too high for her to make a direct contribution into a Roth IRA, but there’s no income limit on conversions.  Unlike Bill she has $94,500 in other IRAs (previously non-taxed), so her total IRA assets are now $100,000. When she converts $5,500 to a Roth IRA, the IRS pro-rates her tax basis on the previous taxation of her total IRA assets, therefore making this conversion 94.5% taxable ($94,500/100,000 = 94.5%).

So if you plan on using this backdoor IRA strategy, you want to be clear as to whether or not you have any other IRAs. As you can see, this can be a confusing area and this is where we can help.  If you are a high income earner we would be happy to review your situation to determine if this strategy is in your best interest.

Also, please remember that your spouse’s IRA is separate from yours.

Stay tuned for my next blog post, Benefits of a Roth IRA!

Want to learn more? Give us a call at 412-521-2732.

– James Lange

Example of a Backdoor Roth IRA

Posted on by in IRAs, Retirement Planning, Roth 401(k), Roth IRA, Roth IRA Conversions, Tax Law, Traditional IRA and tagged , , , , , , , .

As promised from our last blog post, here is an example of a Backdoor Roth IRA

Bill, a high income earner decides on January 2nd to put $5,500 into a traditional IRA for himself and another $5,500 into a traditional IRA for his wife Mary.  Bill’s income is too high to be able to deduct these contributions from his taxes.

So the next day, he converts the traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs completely tax-free.  His income is too high for him to make a direct contribution into a Roth IRA, but there’s no income limit on conversions!

Since Bill and Mary couldn’t deduct the contribution anyway, they might as well get the advantage of never paying taxes on that money again available through the Roth IRA.

Stay tuned for my next blog post, Beware of the Pro Rata Rule for Roth Conversions!

Want to learn more? Give us a call at 412-521-2732.

– James Lange

 

Backdoor Roth IRAs: How Does the Backdoor Roth IRA Conversion Work?

Posted on by in 401(k), 403(b), IRAs, Roth 401(k), Roth IRA, Roth IRA Conversions, Tax Law, Traditional IRA and tagged , , , , , , , , , .

The backdoor Roth conversion consists of two simple steps:

1)      You make a nondeductible contribution to your traditional IRA.

2)      Within a couple of days you convert this IRA into a Roth IRA (potentially paying little to no taxes on the conversion).

There’s one big caveat: This strategy works best tax-wise for people who don’t already have money in traditional IRAs. That’s because in conversions, earnings and previously untaxed contributions in traditional IRAs are taxed—and that tax is figured based on all your traditional IRAs, even ones you aren’t converting.

For an investor who doesn’t already hold any traditional IRAs, creating one and then quickly converting it into a Roth IRA will incur little or no tax, because after a short holding period there’s likely to be little or no appreciation or interest earned in the account.  However, if you already have money in traditional deductible IRAs, you could face a far higher tax bill on the conversion.

If you choose to, you can contribute to a non-deductible IRA for 2014 (the maximum is $5,500 or $6,500 for those age 50 or older). Remember, you must contribute to your IRAs prior to the April 15 2015 tax deadline. This non-deductible IRA can then be used for your backdoor Roth IRA conversion (please call us prior to doing so because the rules for Roth conversions can be complicated).

Want to learn more? Give us a call at 412-521-2732.

Examples of a Backdoor Roth IRA coming soon.

– James Lange

Backdoor Roth IRAs: A Potential Way for High Income Earners to Participate

Posted on by in 401(k), 403(b), IRAs, Roth 401(k), Roth IRA, Roth IRA Conversions, Tax Law, Traditional IRA and tagged , , , , , , , , .

The traditional contribution (“front door”) for Roth IRAs is currently not available for higher income earners. Married couples earning $191,000 or more and singles earning $129,000 or more in 2014 are still barred from contributing directly to Roth IRAs.

In 2010, Congress changed the rules and since then anyone can convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. However, higher income earners are still ineligible to contribute to a Roth IRA.

A Backdoor Roth IRA is a strategy for some higher income earners to participate in Roth IRAs.  It is a way for higher income earners to put money into a traditional IRA and then roll that into a Roth IRA, getting all the benefits.  While this strategy sounds simple, there are several rules that you must know and follow to make sure you do not incur unintended tax consequences.  This is where working with a knowledgeable financial or tax professional can provide some great guidance and value.

One of the primary benefits of a Roth IRA is that any money contributed grows tax-free and is withdrawn without any further income taxation. In addition, unlike a traditional IRA, Roth IRAs have no required lifetime minimum distributions. Another benefit of a Roth IRA is it can be passed on to your heirs income tax free. This allows your funds to grow and compound tax free over many years.

Want to learn more? Give us a call at 412-521-2732.

More on this subject in the coming weeks.

– James Lange

Our Debut Show was a Big Success!

Posted on by in Tax Law and tagged , , , , , , , .

Thanks again to Ed Slott, ‘America’s IRA Expert,’ for taking the time to join us for the premiere of our radio show “The Lange Money Hour: Where Smart Money Talks” which aired on March 25th. Ed was a great guest and Jim and Ed ended up covering a lot of excellent tax-saving strategies. If you missed it, be sure to check out the audio that’s posted on retiresecure.com.

In their first appearance together, Jim and Ed explored how seniors can exploit the new law suspending required minimum distributions for 2009, Roth IRA conversion strategies for 2010, how to protect your IRA by using life insurance, planning for after-tax dollars inside a retirement plan after retirement and how to pick a good financial advisor. They even chatted about Bill Mazeroski and his 1960 ninth-inning, World Series-winning, home run against the New York Yankees (believe it or not, it’s a baseball analogy that relates to IRA investors today.) Come to think of it, it’s amazing that they were able to cover all of that in just one hour!

By the way, Ed Slott’s latest book Stay Rich For Life: Growing and Protecting Your Money in These Turbulent Times comes with a companion workbook that is very helpful. Jim was actually using it during the show!

Exciting news for the next show which is scheduled to air on Wednesday, April 8th from 7-8 p.m. ET on KQV 1410am. One of our Lange team members has agreed to join Jim to talk about taxes. Steve Kohman is a CPA, Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Certified Valuation Analyst and a Resident Insurance Provider. He’s also an incredible “numbers-runner” – crunching the numbers to determine the best plan of action for you.

One week from the tax deadline, Jim and Steve will explain why it’s not too late to do something about your 2008 return. They’re happy to take your questions, so feel free to call the studio line at 412-333-9385.

Catch Jim and Steve on Wednesday, April 8th from 7-8 p.m. ET with a rebroadcast on Sunday, April 12th from 9-10 a.m. ET. Thanks to everyone who’s been listening around the country online at kqv.com. We’ve recently had listeners check in from Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas – we love hearing from you!

Keep listening!

Don’t forget that the audio to all of these shows is always posted on retiresecure.com.

Our Radio Show Premieres This Week!

Posted on by in The Lange Money Hour and tagged , , , , , , , .

We are all very excited about the official premiere of The Lange Money Hour: Where Smart Money Talks, this Wednesday night at 7pm on KQV 1410am in Pittsburgh. This is doubly exciting as we have ‘America’s IRA Expert,’ Ed Slott with us for the whole hour. Although most of the succeeding shows will be live, in order to accommodate Mr. Slott’s schedule, we prerecorded the premiere.  Well, with the show now ‘in the can’ we can easily promise that this is an hour that is well worth your time.   Jim and Ed are two of the country’s leading retirement planning experts, and this is the first time they have been on the same program together.

The premiere of The Lange Money Hour is Wednesday night at 7pm on KQV 1410am in Pittsburgh and on kqv.com. The show will be repeated the following Sunday, March 29th, at 9am. And if you miss any of these airings, there will be an continuing archive of every show at retiresecure.com.

Happy listening!