My wife is 76, born in 1948. She retired at full retirement age and currently collects $1,076 per month. I will be retiring and start collecting at 70 this year (I was born in 1954). When I collect $4,000+ per month does her monthly payment go up to spousal benefit automatically or does it have… read more…
I’m 44 with $1 million in my 401(k), IRA and Roth IRA. Since my total household is above the threshold for investing in a Roth IRA, I have been considering employing the backdoor Roth IRA tactics. I left $700,000 in a 401(k) at my old employer. I am trying to strategize on “distributing” the old 401(k) balance… read more…
At the age of 60, I recently entered retirement after being a business owner. I’ve been securing health insurance through the marketplace since its inception. Currently, my income is derived solely from withdrawing money from my taxable portfolio, comprising reported dividends and capital gains totaling less than $60,000 annually. An advantageous outcome of this approach… read more…
My wife and I plan to retire before age 59 ½. How many different 72(t)s can a household utilize? For example, if I have two traditional IRAs at two separate brokerages, can I take substantially equal periodic payments from each or do I need to consolidate them into one first? Since we file our taxes… read more…
I’d like to ask about the backdoor Roth IRA. Say you are over the income limit for Roth contributions, so you make a traditional contribution with no tax deduction and then do a backdoor Roth. Is that conversion taxable? If so, you would be paying tax on that money twice since you paid tax on… read more…
I have a 401(k) with $120,000 in it. I’m 74 and getting the required minimum distribution at the end of each year. Do I need a retirement planner to help handle the withdrawal? – Susan While technically you don’t need a financial advisor to handle your retirement account withdrawals, it can be useful to talk… read more…
I’m turning 68 shortly and plan to wait to claim my Social Security at age 70 to maximize the monthly benefit. I also plan to retire at the end of the year, if not sooner (so in three months or less). Does withdrawing from my traditional IRAs (current balance is $215,000) to reduce the income… read more…
I am 48 years old. I made $310,000 last year and I currently have $546,000 in my retirement plan at work. My husband is on disability and doesn’t work and does not have a 401(k) plan. I wanted to open a Roth IRA but I read that I make too much money. What options do… read more…
I purchased a Ford electric vehicle in February 2023. According to the IRS, it qualifies for a $6,843 tax credit. So in order to get my taxes to this amount, I’m not paying estimated taxes and will take a little more than my required minimum distribution from my IRA to get my tax liability up… read more…
We are a dual-income couple in our mid-50s with over $2 million in our 401(k)s. Should we “sacrifice” the pre-tax benefit and switch to Roth contributions at work? -Wendy Like most tax-related questions, the answer is “it depends.” Based on… read more…
How much money can I give to my son and daughter-in-law without incurring a tax issue with the IRS? -Irwin For 2023, you can give your son and daughter-in-law each $17,000 without having to deal with the IRS. But even… read more…
My investment accounts don’t withhold taxes from my capital gains, which is causing me to owe large amounts when I file my returns. How can I mitigate this situation? -David As capital gains distributions are unpredictable and usually unknown until… read more…
Can one individual or organization cover my complete spectrum of financial concerns, including investment diversification and maximum returns, income tax optimization, required minimum distribution (RMD) management, and steady income cash flow? Is there a good way to survey fiduciary candidates… read more…
Is there a way to start a retirement account with only a few hundred dollars, then add to the account each payday? -Dave So many people put off saving for retirement because they feel like they can’t contribute enough or… read more…
If I give $50,000 in cash to a charity, does that lower my taxable adjusted gross income (AGI) by $50,000? So if my adjusted gross income was $100,000, and I gave $50,000 to charity, is my taxable income now $50,000?… read more…
I’m speaking with two advisors and am looking for a tiebreaker. One advisor says to wait to take Social Security until I’m 70. The other says to take it now, taking the mindset that “a bird in the hand is better… read more…
Which is the best way to handle an individual retirement account (IRA)? Let it sit and earn money, then pay taxes on the withdrawals in retirement? Or roll it over to a Roth IRA? Should I pay the taxes now… read more…
I lost my job last year and need to take care of a parent. In doing that, I must withdraw money from my retirement. I don’t understand the tax implications and penalties. I would also like access to any savings… read more…
We gained additional income and didn’t withhold enough on our Form W-4. We are currently not putting money into a retirement account but have access to a 401(k) through our employer. Would we be able to correct our withholding deficit… read more…