Blogs

Required Minimum Distributions From Qualified Plans

As we approach the holiday season, we prepare to enter what is undoubtedly the busiest part of the year for the majority of us. Between coordinating schedules with loved ones, shopping for gifts, and scrambling to get holiday meals together, it can be easy to let other important considerations slip our minds.

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Beneficiary Designation for IRA, 401K and Other “Qualified Retirement” Funds

Too often we have clients who have “rubber-stamped” the designation of a spouse or children as the beneficiary of the client’s IRA, 401k or other account-holding “qualified retirement funds”. Often times this “legal advice” has come through the suggestion of a financial planner, banker or even a well-intended friend or relative. Many times, the client’s […]

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QDRO for Married Couples without Divorce: Pay Less Taxes/Other Benefits Part 2

A few weeks ago, we introduced a novel planning concept; the marital “Qualified Domestic Relations Order” (QDRO). Most people associate a QDRO with divorce, but divorce is not required to take advantage of this planning technique. The ERISA laws made an exception for early withdrawal penalties with the QDRO. As we know, an ERISA type […]

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QDRO for Married Couples without Divorce: Pay Less Taxes/Other Benefits

We will begin a series of blogs dealing with an innovative retirement planning concept for married couples over the next several months. Be on the lookout for information related to a QDRO for married couples. This can be an effective method of deferring tax liability, gaining control over investments, accessing retirement plan funds to pay […]

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Do You Need Money From Your Retirement Accounts?

In the current economy, a retirement plan, IRA, 401(K), or other qualified plan, is often a family’s largest asset. With loans difficult to obtain, accessing retirement funds may be critical, especially if you can do without early-withdrawal penalties. The general rule is that for persons under the age of 59 ½ early withdrawal costs a 10% penalty […]

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Required Minimum Distributions Are Back for 2010

You would probably be hard pressed to name a positive result of the 2008 market crash, but Congress did make one temporary change that benefited retirees over age 70-1/2.   A one-year moratorium on required minimum distributions (RMD) from IRA and 401(k) accounts was enacted for the year 2009. This helped seniors in two ways.  First, […]

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