How the SECURE Act could impact your retirement and your taxes

After languishing for several months in bureaucratic limbo, the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) was signed into law on December 20, 2019; it went into effect on January 1, 2020. With an alarming percentage of Americans not saving enough for retirement, the changes in the SECURE Act are intended to help. It includes changes to some rules for IRAs and other retirement accounts, increases incentives for employers to set up retirement plans and make it easy for employees to enroll in them, and repeals some parts of the tax law passed in 2017. Here are a few important changes that may affect you: Changes to age limits for IRAs Contribution cut-off age Under previous laws, investors were not allowed to add money into a traditional IRA after they reached age 70.5. Under the SECURE Act, that restriction no longer exists — people may now contribute to traditional IRAs for as long as they (or their spouse) earn income, just as with Roth IRAs. NOTE: This law went into effect on January 1, 2020, so people over age 70.5 will not be allowed to fund a traditional IRA for tax year 2019, even though the deadline is