What Can a Roth IRA Be Rollover Into?
Rollover IRAs can save on tax dollars when switching retirement plans, as well as assist retirees in controlling their taxable income during retirement.
Consider the five-year rule when rolling over funds into Roth accounts – this stipulates that an account be open for at least five years in order to qualify for tax-free distributions of contributions and earnings.
What Can I Roll It Over Into?
Rollovers involve moving money from one retirement account to another and can be an excellent solution for people leaving employment, approaching retirement age or looking for ways to avoid required minimum distributions (RMD).
Most investors should invest their savings into an individual retirement account such as a Roth IRA, which offers more investment options than what 401(k) plans typically can provide.
Traditional rollover methods allowed for indirect (rather than direct) Roth IRA transfers from employer-sponsored retirement accounts such as 401(k)s or 457(b), however recently the government has made direct Roth IRA rollovers easier.
As the process of rolling over an IRA can be intricate and require expert assistance, you should seek guidance from an experienced financial advisor in order to ensure everything goes according to plan. Otherwise, costly tax penalties could arise: for instance if you miss the 60-day deadline on your rollover funds may become subject to income tax and an early withdrawal penalty of 10%.
Traditional IRA
Traditional IRAs allow individuals to make tax-deferred contributions. Withdrawals from a traditional IRA are taxed as ordinary income in the year they are taken. Distributions before age 59 1/2 can be made without incurring a 10% penalty, provided they are used for specific purposes such as first home purchase, medical costs or higher education payments.
Individuals of any income level can open a traditional IRA; however, only those earning under the IRS contribution limit qualify for tax deductions in terms of earnings. This limit can change year to year.
Converting from traditional to Roth accounts requires taking into account the IRS’s pro-rata rule, which requires you to include any nondeductible contributions into your taxable income in the year of conversion. As this can move you into higher tax brackets, it is wise to carefully weigh all benefits before moving forward; speaking to a financial or tax advisor can assist in finding solutions suitable for you and your situation.
Roth IRA
Roth IRAs are portable, meaning you can transfer them freely between financial institutions without incurring penalties. The only risk lies with delays in making transfers; otherwise there could be tax implications.
Roth IRAs offer flexibility when it comes to retirement planning for high earners. If you prefer investing posttax dollars but do not meet the eligibility requirements for “backdoor Roth,” rolling over your old 401(k) into a Roth IRA is your next best bet.
Roth IRAs do not require minimum distributions like traditional IRAs and most other retirement accounts do, enabling account owners to withdraw investment earnings at any time without incurring penalties. Original contributions, however, don’t qualify for penalty-free withdrawals until used for qualifying expenses such as buying your first home, disability costs related expenses or having children/grandchildren. If original contributions are withdrawn before age 59 1/2 then taxes and an IRS penalty of 10% will apply on those returns.
Inherited IRA
If the money isn’t needed immediately, leaving an inherited Roth IRA intact and taking advantage of potential tax-free growth may make more sense than taking out a lump-sum withdrawal and paying taxes immediately on any taxable portion of distributions.
As inheritance rules can evolve over time, inheriting an IRA can be complex. Before making decisions on how to handle an inheritance from an IRA, it’s wise to consult a tax or financial professional. For instance, until 2019, beneficiaries could use the life expectancy method for withdrawing required minimum distributions (RMDs) from Roth IRAs; new retirement laws took effect in 2019 eliminating this option and forcing heirs to empty their IRAs within 10 years after an original owner dies unless there are exceptions such as spouse, minor children or chronically ill or disabled individuals.
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