As you learn more about your IRA, you may have come to realize, as many have, that it would be mighty useful if all the information about IRAs and retirement plans were in one place. That’s a pretty ambitious undertaking – there are literally reams and reams of writings on every type of IRA out there. So what I’ve done is to gather within this index many of the common questions that people have with regard to IRAs and retirement plans – your own IRA Owner’s Manual.
This manual will be an evolving project, since I will continue writing more articles about IRAs, 401(k)’s and other retirement plans, including things that people are asking about, as well as new information as it becomes available. If you have recommendations for topics to include, just leave them in the comments below!
The IRA OWNER’S MANUAL
This manual lays out for you, in common sense language, the specifics of IRAs as they relate to your own situation. In doing so, we’ll talk about how to really make your IRA do some neat tricks. We’ll cover the Traditional IRA (TIRA), and its newer cousin, the Roth IRA (RIRA). We’ll also touch on some specifics of the Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) as a separate topic, since the SIMPLE has quite a few different characteristics that are not shared with the TIRA or RIRA. Where necessary, Qualified Retirement Plan (QRP) information will be added as well – such as information about 401(k) plans.
The IRA is the building block of many Americans’ retirement plans. It can be used to accumulate tax-deferred contributions over your working lifetime, as a conduit for retirement funds when you’re changing jobs, as well as a vehicle to eventually distribute the funds from and perhaps leave a legacy to your heirs. Given the many different roles that IRAs play in today’s world, it makes great sense to have a basic understanding of the characteristics of these accounts.
(click the title below to go to that particular section)
General Information
- A History of the Individual Retirement Arrangement
- IRA Basics
- Where to Establish Your IRA Account
- The Importance of IRA Custodial Documents
- How to Calculate Your MAGI (and What MAGI Limits Apply)
- Comparison and Contrast Between Traditional and Roth IRA
- Making The Decision Between Roth IRA or Traditional IRA
- Prohibited Transactions Within an IRA
- Getting The Most Out of Your IRA
- Creditor Protection for Retirement Accounts
- Required Minimum Distribution Rules (age 70½)
- Required Minimum Distribution Reporting
- Eligibility for a Roth IRA
- 11 Ways to Fund a Roth IRA
- Open a Roth IRA for Your Child
- The SIMPLE IRA
- Roth 401(k) Distributions
Roth IRA Conversions
- Roth IRA Conversions From IRA or Other Qualified Plans
- Two 5-Year Rules For Roth IRA
- Roth IRA Conversion Strategy – Fill Out the Bracket
- Roth IRA Conversion Strategy – Spread the Tax Over 3 Years
- Considering Social Security in Your Roth Conversion Strategy
- Structuring the Roth IRA Conversion
- 3 Ways To Do A Roth Conversion Tax Free
- 3 Reasons You May Not Want to Convert to a Roth IRA
- Direct Conversion from a 401(k) to a Roth IRA
- Roth Conversions for Inherited Retirement Plans
- Roth Conversion Planning for a Small Business Owner or Farmer
- SGLI Payment Rollovers to Roth IRA or Coverdell ESA
- Recharacterizing (undoing) a Roth Conversion
Rollovers (Includes QRP/401(k) Rollovers)
- Rollovers For Retirement Plans
- Risks When Rolling Over IRAs
- Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) in a 401(k) Plan
- 9 Considerations Before Rolling Over Your 401(k) Plan
- The Heartbreak of Withholding from Indirect Rollovers
- 60-Day Rollover Waivers
Inherited IRA
- Splitting An Inherited IRA
- Distribution Period For An Inherited IRA With No Designated Beneficiary
- Disclaiming An IRA Inheritance
- Options for a Spousal Inherited IRA
- Non-Spouse Rollover of Inherited IRA or Plan
- Problems Resulting From Not Taking Timely Distributions From an Inherited IRA
- IRD From An IRA
Early Withdrawal (72(t) plans)
- How to Withdraw Retirement Funds Without Penalty (72t)
- Penalties for Changing a 72(t) Payment Plan
- Running Out of Money in a 72(t) Arrangement
- How Divorce and QDRO Impacts an Existing Early Distribution Plan (72t)
Special Weapons and Tactics
- How To Stretch An IRA’s Benefits Over More Than One Generation
- 7 Mistakes With Stretch IRAs
- Required Minimum Distributions
- Should You Take or Postpone Your First Year’s RMD?
- 5 Tactics for Required Minimum Distributions
- A Cash Flow Dilemma – Should I Take Distributions From My IRA or Taxable Account?
- How Divorce and QDRO Impacts a 401(k)
- How QDRO Impacts NUA
- How To Turn $5,000 A Year Into a $33 Million Legacy
- Turns Out You CAN Be A Little Bit Pregnant
- Using Your IRA To Help You With Quarterly Tax Payments
- How Medicaid and Retirement Accounts Interact
- Your Eleven Years Of Freedom
- Does a Transfer From Your IRA to an HSA Make Sense?
- The See-Through Trust as a Beneficiary
- Deducting IRA Losses
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And if you've come here to learn about queuing waterfowl, I apologize for the confusion. You may want to discuss your question with Lester, my loyal watchduck and self-proclaimed "advisor's advisor".
