Retirement Planning Flashcards
Methods of rollover from IRA and ER Retirement Plans
Two methods:
Traditional (way of) Rollover
Direct Transfer Rollover
Traditional Rollover
Only one traditional rollover is allowed in a year.
- Plan administrator transfers vested account balance or portion to the participant.
- Within 60 days the participant deposits the funds into an IRA or different employer plan.
Traditional rollover from a qualified plan requires mandatory 20% federal income tax withholding by the employer (not required for IRA-to-IRA traditional rollover).
If withheld amount is not replaced and deposited with the rollover, the withholding amount is considered distributed and subject to income tax and possible 10% penalty.
Direct Transfer Rollover
No annual limit on the number of direct transfers in a year.
Plan trustee transfers rollover directly to IRA or another employer plan.
Participant does not take possession of the funds.
No mandatory tax withholding applies.
Distro Reqs For inherited traditional IRAs - Spouse Bene
Has choice of being treated as the IRA owner or as the beneficiary of an inherited IRA;
If spouse beneficiary chooses to be treated as the owner, they may defer RMDs until they attain age 73;
The spouse beneficiary may combine the inherited IRA with their own IRA.
Distro Reqs For inherited traditional IRAs - Non-Spouse Bene (10 year rule)
10-year rule - Non-eligible designated beneficiaries must take RMDs from inherited IRAs within 10 years
Note - if the account was in RMD status at the time of death the beneficiary must make annual RMDs in years 1-9 and have the account drained by the end of year 10
Inherited Roth IRA Distro Reqs
No RMD during life of owner.
Spouse beneficiary can become owner and forego RMDs for life.
Non-spouse beneficiary subject to RMDs.
Inherited IRA / ER Retirement Plans - Eligible designated beneficiary
These beneficiaries can take distributions from inherited IRAs over their lifetime, except for minors
Spouse,
chronically ill beneficiary, disabled beneficiary,
minor children of decedent under age 21, or
Other Benes/individuals NOT more than 10 years younger than the Decedent
Early Withdrawal Penalties - What does it apply to and how much
Applies to Traditional IRAs, IRA-Funded Employer Plans, & Qualified Plans
Withdrawals taken from an IRA or qualified plan prior to age 59 ½ are subject to a 10% penalty on the taxable portion of the distribution unless an exception applies.
Early Withdrawal Penalties - SIMPLE IRA
Withdrawals taken from an IRA or qualified plan prior to age 59 ½ are subject to a 10% penalty on the taxable portion of the distribution unless an exception applies.
Distributions from a SIMPLE IRA in the first two years are subject to a 25% penalty.
Roth IRA Distributions - Regular Contributions
Contributions can come out tax-free; No income tax; no penalty
but there are requirements for distribution of earnings to be tax-free
The 5-year holding is absolute; it must be satisfied for a qualified distribution, but death, disability, or first-time home purchase can occur at much younger ages.
Attainment of age 59 ½ is not an absolute requirement for a tax-free qualified distribution to occur.
Roth IRA Distributions - Qualified Distributions
Distribution must be made 5 yr after the first taxable year for which roth contributions was made
AND
distribution must occur in relation to one of the following events:
1. AC owner’s death
2. AC owner being disabled
3. First-time home purchase (life time limit of 10K max)
4. Made on or after the individual turns 59 1/2.
Roth IRA Distributions - Roth Conversion Contributions (non-qualified)
No regular income tax
distribution within 5 yr of conversion may be subject to 10% penalty
Roth IRA Distributions - 5 year holding period
5-yr holding period for regular contributions begins January 1 of the year FOR WHICH the contribution IS MADE/DESIGNATED
Roth IRA Distributions - Non-qualified - regular contributions
No regular income tax; no penalty
Early Withdrawal Penalty Exception for Separation from Services
No penalty for withdrawing form qualified plan for separation from service during or after the year the employee reaches age 55
(Penalty applicable for IRA withdrawals for this reason)
What types of withdrawals from qualified plans cause a penalty ?
Penalties apply, If you take withdrawals from qualified plans for
Higher education expenses
health insurance premiums paid while unemployed
1st time home buyer ($10K lifetime max),
What is 72t
72T - series of substantially equal payments
(Exceptions to penalty for early withdrawals)
Inherited IRA RMD - 10-year rule for non-eligible designated beneficiary
Rules for determining required minimum distributions for IRA Beneficiaries
Rules depend on the following:
The beneficiary is the surviving spouse.
The beneficiary is an individual (other than the surviving spouse).
The beneficiary isn’t an individual (for example, the beneficiary is the owner’s estate).
The IRA owner died before the required beginning date or died on or after the required beginning date.
Inherited IRA - Options for Spouses
Surviving spouse beneficiary can treat the inherited IRA as their own and not required to take RMDs in 10 year
Inherited IRA - Non-designated benes - 5yr rule
Non-designated beneficiaries such as estate, charities, trust not qualifying as designated beneficiary
will have to drain the IRA within 5 yr
Self-employment (SE)
a tax consisting of Social Security and Medicare taxes primarily for individuals who are classified as self-employed.
The SE tax is calculated on Schedule SE of Form 1040.
The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%. (12.4% for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) and 2.9% for Medicare (hospital insurance))
SE Tax When NE > 168,600 (SS Taxable Wages)
25795.80 (168600 x 0.153)
Adjusted NE = NE x 0.9253
Amount taxable at Medicare = Adjusted NE - 168,600
SE Tax = Add 25795.80 + Medicare Taxed Amount
15.3% applies up to the Social Security taxable wage base of $168,600. (2024)
Earnings above $168,600 (2024) are subject only to the Medicare tax of 2.90%.
SE Tax Adjustment for AGI
Half of the SE tax is an adjustment to income deduction on IRS Schedule 1 in calculating “for AGI”.
One-half of the SE is subtracted from net earnings from self-employment in the calculation of the maximum contribution to a retirement plan for a self-employed person.
SE tax when NE <= $168,600
NE X .1413 (14.13%)
Profit-sharing plan contributions for SE
Adjusted NE = Subtract 50% of SE Tax from NE
Determine contribution rate for SE = Plan Contra Rate / (1+plan contra rate)
Multiply Adjusted NE x Contra rate for SE
% of tax ER plays for SS and Medicare
7.65%
Take the wages below 168,600 x 0.0765 for ER portion of the tax E
FICA Taxes ( i.e Payroll Taxes)
include both Social Security and Medicare taxes.
ER and EE each pay 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare = Total of 7.65% per party
Upto 168,600 = pay 7.65 (Both SS and Medicare); After 168,600, only pay 2.9% (total)
Total 12.4% (6.2 x 2) for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) and
Total 2.9% (1.45% x 2) for Medicare (hospital insurance).
IF SE = total 15.3% (7.65 x 2) or (12.4 + 2.9)
FICA - SS %
6.2 % per party (ER & EE) = Total 12.4% up to 168,600
FICA - Medicare %
1.45% per party (ER & EE) = total 2.9%
FICA for SE
IF SE = total 15.3% (7.65 x 2) or (12.4 + 2.9)
What are the benefits of rabbi trust for executives?
Funds in the rabbi trust are not available to the corporation for other purposes.
Funds are safeguarded in the event of a merger or acquisition.
A rabbi trust does not trigger immediate recognition of compensation to the executive because the substantial risk of forfeiture is considered to exist due to the funds in the rabbi trust being accessible by corporate creditors in the event of insolvency of the company.
What’s a rabbi trust ?
A rabbi trust provides some security to the executive in safeguarding the payment of the promised deferred compensation benefits.
What is Nonqualified deferred compensation plan?
A plan used by businesses to provide additional retirement benefits to top executives that exceed limits available through qualified plans.
AKA top-hat plans, excess benefits plans, or supplemental executive retirement plans (SERP)
Excess benefits plans characristics
typically mirrors a qualified plan benefit formula but is not subject to funding or benefit amount limits, covered compensation limits, or an annual additions limit.
excess benefits / SERP
supplemental executive retirement plans (SERP)
typically promises to pay an executive additional compensation of a specified amount for a specified period contingent on the executive remaining with the company for a specified period and/or attaining specific goals, typically related to production or sales growth.
Eligibility for Non-qualified deffered compensation plan
Employers can select which executives are included in the plan and benefits do not need to be uniform among participants.
Taxation and funding of non-qualified deffered comp plans
The goal is to avoid constructive receipt and current taxation; there must be a substantial risk of forfeiture. Plans typically have a vesting schedule.
The executive does not recognize income and the employer does not receive a deduction until there is no longer a substantial risk of forfeiture.
Occasionally “informally funded” using cash value life insurance.
Secular Trust
A “secular” trust is not subject to the company’s creditors and results in immediate compensation recognition.
Rabbi trust - taxation and funding
A rabbi trust does not trigger immediate recognition of compensation to the executive because the substantial risk of forfeiture is considered to exist because the funds in the rabbi trust are accessible by corporate creditors in the event of insolvency of the company.
Advantages of NQDC
One of the advantages of nonqualified deferred compensation plans is that plans are not subject to all the rules and regulations under ERISA or the funding limits for qualified plans under IRC Section 415, including the annual additions limit.
When do benefits become taxable for NQDC
NQDC benefits become taxable to the executive when there is no longer a substantial risk of forfeiture.
List of Qualified Plans
Pension
Profit-sharing (401(k))
List of Tax-advantaged plans
SEP
SIMPLE IRA
List of non-qualified plans
NQDC
SERP
Top Hat
Sec 162 Bonus Plan
Qualified Plans & Tax-Advantage plans - Suitability
Deductible ER plan contributions
Benefits not currently taxable to EE/Participant
Section 162 Bonus Plan Suitability
Deductible ER plan contributions
Employer can limit participation to select individuals (pick and choose)
Non-qualified Deferred Comp Plan
Benefits not currently taxable to the employee/participant
Employer can limit participation to select individuals (pick and choose)
Which type of requirement plans allow for exclusion of employees who do not work 1000 hrs per yr
Qualified Plans - Pensions, Profit-sharing - 401(k)
What’s an NQSO or ISO?
An option allows the purchase of a share of employer stock at a set price.
Non-Qualified Stock Options (NQSOs)
Usually subject to vesting.
Can be transferred or “gifted” to family members, trust, or charitable organizations.
Corporation receives a deduction when employee pays tax at exercise.
EXERCISE: Exercise of the option, triggers W2 income (bargain element = exercise price - FMV at the time of exercise)
SALE: Cap gains or losses on difference from the strike price + W2 income recognized at the exercise
Incentive Stock Options (ISOs)
Corporation may not ever receive a deduction.
May create AMT.
No more than $100,000 per year may be granted.
EXERCISE: bargain element is not subject to W2; preference for AMT
SALE:
when are traditional IRA contributions non-deductible?
The traditional contributions are non-deductible if you are an active participant (you are covered by a retirement plan at work)
If you are covered by a retirement plan t work, than you will need to use MAGI to determine the amount of deduction.
LE: when are traditional IRA contributions fully deductible?
If you are NOT an active participant in an employer-sponsored, you can fully deduct all of traditional IRA contributions.
Who is an active participant in a retirement plan - DC Plans?
Defined Contribution Plan: anyone who received any annual additions:
Employer Contributions,
Employee Contributions (deferrals)
Forfeitures reallocated to remaining participants
Account earnings ARE NOT included in application of the annual additions limit.
Who is an active participant in a retirement plan - DB plan
Anyone who eligible for the plan is accruing a benefit.
For Which retirement plans, participants ARE considered active participants for traditional IRA purposes ?
SEP, SIMPLE, Section 403(b) (TSA)
For which retirement plan, participants are NOT considered active for traditional IRA purposes?
457 (not considered active participants for IRA purposes = you can contribute to 457 and to your traditional IRA and can still deduct your traditional IRA contributions