IRA do’s and don’ts for 2019

The end of the year will be here before you know it. Consider making the following IRA tips into New Year’s resolutions and start 2019 on the right foot. NOTE: If you’re interested in starting a traditional 401(k), profit-sharing, or pension plan for year 2018, Azzad’s deadline is December 1). Check IRA and employer plan beneficiary forms. If you got married or had a birth, adoption, or death in the family in 2018, your retirement plan beneficiary forms may need to be updated. Take the new year as a reminder to look at the beneficiaries on your plans and make sure they’re the ones you intend. Don’t forget contingent beneficiaries. Although they’re often overlooked, contingent beneficiaries are critical. They generally inherit the retirement plan if the primary beneficiary passes away before the retirement account owner. You should always have both a primary and contingent beneficiary named on your retirement accounts. Review 2018 distribution reporting. Most IRS reporting will be done in January 2019 for 2018. Check all Forms 1099-R for accuracy. Mistakes are not uncommon. There still may be time to correct these forms if the mistakes are caught early enough. Make sure you receive your notification about RMDs for the upcoming year. If you’re 70½ or

November 2, 2018 No Comments

Year-end charitable giving

As the end of the year approaches, charitable giving often comes to mind. Charitable giving can be enhanced using income tax deductions, and so it can be much more effective when it is included as part of your year-end tax planning. Example(s): Assume you are considering making a charitable gift equal to the sum of $1,000 plus the income taxes you save with the charitable deduction. With a 28% tax rate, you might be able to give $1,389 to charity ($1,389 x 28% = $389 taxes saved). On the other hand, with a 35% tax rate, you might be able to give $1,538 to charity ($1,538 x 35% = $538 taxes saved). Tax deduction for charitable gifts If you itemize deductions on your income tax return, you can generally deduct your gifts to qualified charities. However, the amount of your deduction may be limited to certain percentages of your adjusted gross income (AGI). For example, your deduction for gifts of cash to public charities is generally limited to 50 percent of your AGI for the year, and other gifts to charity may be limited to 30 percent or 20 percent of your AGI. Disallowed charitable deductions may generally be carried

December 9, 2013 No Comments