Helping You Set Your Financial Goals For The New Year!

Contributed by: Kali Hassinger, CFP®, CDFA®

New beginnings provide the opportunity to reflect.  What choices or experiences got you to where you are today, and where do you want to go from here?  Whether you’re motivated by the New Year or adjusting your course due to circumstances outside of your control, goals provide the opportunity to set your intentions and determine an action plan.

Budgeting, saving, retirement, paying off debt, and investing are all common, and often reoccurring, resolutions and goals. Why reoccurring?  Because, as is human nature, it is too easy to set a goal but lose focus along the way.  That is why it’s so important to set sustainable goals and find a way to remain accountable.

Working with an outside party, like a financial planner, can help you define these attainable goals and, most importantly, keep you accountable.  When we make commitments to ourselves and share them with others, we are more likely to follow through.

When goals are written down and incorporated in a holistic financial plan, it becomes easier to track progress and remain committed throughout the year.  The financial planning process, when executed correctly, integrates and coordinates your resources (assets and income) with your goals and objectives. As you go through this process, you will feel more organized, focused, and motivated. Your financial plan should incorporate the following (when applicable):

• Goal identification and clarification (you’re here now!)

• Developing your Net Worth Statement

• Preparing cash flow estimates

• Comprehensive investment management and ongoing monitoring of investments

• Financial independence and retirement income analysis

• Analysis of income tax returns and strategies designed to help decrease tax liability

• Review of risk management areas such as life insurance, disability, long term care, and property & casualty insurance

• College funding goals for children or grandchildren

• Estate and charitable giving strategies

As you reach one goal, new ones can emerge, and working with a financial planner can help you navigate life’s many financial stages. When you’re setting and working toward your objectives, don’t hesitate to reach out and share them with your trusted financial planner!  If you aren’t working with anyone yet, it’s never too late to start!  

Kali Hassinger, CFP®, CDFA®, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She has more than a decade of financial planning and insurance industry experience.

Consolidated Appropriations Act Of 2021: More Stimulus On The Way

Contributed by: Kali Hassinger, CFP®, CDFA®

After months of deliberation, Congress passed a bill providing a second round of Coronavirus relief, and it was signed by the president on December 27th.  This will provide direct payments to citizens, extend unemployment benefits, and reopen the Paycheck Protection Program to provide loans to small businesses.  This Act, totaling $2.3 trillion dollars, earmarks $900 Billion for stimulus relief with the remaining $1.4 trillion for the 2021 federal fiscal year.   

The direct stimulus rules are largely similar to the CARES Act from March 2020, with a few changes, most notably, of course, the amounts provided.

Direct Payments

Based on income and family makeup, some Americans can expect to receive a refundable tax credit as a direct payment from the government.

• Who is eligible? Eligibility is based on Adjusted Gross Income with benefits phasing out at the following levels:

  • Married Filing Jointly: $150,000

  • Head of Household: $112,500

  • All other Filers (Single): $75,000

If income is above the AGI limits shown above, the credit received will reduced by $5 for each $100 of additional income.

• How much can I expect to receive?

  • Married Filing Jointly: $1,200

  • All other Filers: $600

  • Additional credit of up to $600 for each child under the age of 17

The rebates are dispersed based on your 2019 tax return, but, like the CARES Act, is a 2020 tax credit.  This means that if your income in 2019 phased you out of eligibility, but your 2020 income is lower and puts you below the phase out, you won’t receive the rebate payment until filing your 2020 taxes.  The good news is that those who do receive a rebate payment based 2019 income, and, when filing 2020 taxes, find that their income actually exceeds the AGI thresholds, taxpayers won’t be required to repay the benefit.

• When will I receive my benefit? As soon as possible, though delays similar to the CARES Act payments should be expected. 

• Where will my money be sent?  Payment to be sent to the same account where recipients have Social Security benefits deposited or where their most recent tax refund was deposited. Others will have a payment sent to the last known address on file.

Charitable Giving Tax Benefits

• The charitable deduction limit on cash gifted to charities will remain at 100% of Adjusted Gross Income for 2021.  This was increased from 60% to 100% for 2020 with the CARES Act.  If someone gifts greater than 100% of their AGI, they can carry forward the charitable deduction for up to 5 years.  This does not apply to Donor Advised Fund contributions.

• This Act also extends the above-the-line tax deduction for charitable donations up to $300 that was authorized by the CARES Act, but it increases this deduction to $600 for married couples ($300 per person)

Support For Small Businesses

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will allow businesses affected to COVID-19 to apply for loans. Those who did not receive a loan through the CARES Act once again have the chance, and those who successfully applied for a loan previously, may have the opportunity to obtain another loan. If applying for a second loan, however, the previous loan funds must already have been received and spent.

Some of the Paycheck Protection Program provisions are more stringent and other provide more clarity:

• The business must have experienced a 25% or larger drop in revenue for any quarter in 2020

• The loan is limited to a 2.5 times the average monthly payroll costs or 3.5 times for businesses categorized as “Accommodation and Food Services.”  The total amount received is capped at $2 million.

• Expenses paid of forgiven Paycheck Protection Program funds are deductible

  • The IRS tried to withdrawal the deductibility of items funded with PPP, but this Act states that expenses paid with both forgiven and new PPP loans shall remain deductible.

• Loans are limited to businesses that have no more than 300 employees with the exception, again, for businesses categorized as “Accommodation and Food Services.”

Expanded Unemployment Benefits

Unemployment benefits were set to expire for many Americans, but the Consolidated Appropriations Act extends the benefit for an additional eleven weeks.  Additional relief will also be provided at $300 per week until Mid-march when the extension expires.

Individual Healthcare & Tax Planning

• Individuals are able to deduct medical expenses if they exceed 7.5% of their Adjusted Gross Income.  This hurdle was previously 10% of AGI.

• FSA funds that haven’t been used in 2020 can be rolled into 2021 if the employer permits this extension. 

Higher Education Deduction With Increased Phase-out

The Lifetime Learning credit provides a credit of 20% of the first $10,000 spent on higher education expenses (so $2,000 if you spend $10,000). The income phase-out limit has been increased to match the American Opportunity tax credit at $80,000 to $90,000 for single filers and $160,000 to $180,000 for joint filers. Although the American Opportunity tax credit is more lucrative for the amount spent (100% credit up to $2,000 in education expenses with an additional 25% credit on the next $2,000 of expenses.  So a total credit of $2,500 on $4,000 spent), you can only claim this credit for 4 years.  As the name Lifetime Learning credit implies, you can claim this credit throughout your lifetime!

Earned Income Tax Credit Changes

The Earned income Tax Credit and additional Child tax credit are determined by an individual’s earned employment income.  Because so many Americans have faced periods of unemployment in 2020, this Act will allow individuals to use their 2019 earned income to calculate the amount they will receive for 2020.

Student Loan Repayments

The ability for an employer to pay up to $5,250 of an employee’s qualified student loan debt is extended through 2025. The employee receives this benefit tax free.  

The period of time between the passing of the CARES Act and the passing of a 2nd round of relief throughout the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 was much longer than many anticipated.  Thankfully the majority of the legislation did not provide short term deadlines for the end of 2020!

Kali Hassinger, CFP®, CDFA®, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She has more than a decade of financial planning and insurance industry experience.

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The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.

Year-End Tax Planning

11/17/2020 - New tax law changes and the impact of Covid-19 may have left you with some questions. Kali Hassinger, CFP®, CDFA® & Bob Ingram, CFP® explain what you need to know!

2021 is an critical tax planning year. New tax law changes and the impact of Covid-19 may have left you with some questions. Kali Hassinger, CFP®, CDFA® & Bo...

How to Finish Financially Strong in 2020

No one could have predicted what 2020 had to offer. The stock market saw wild swings that hadn’t occurred since the 2008 recession. Concerns over Iranian tensions and an oil war quickly took a backseat as Covid 19 spread across the world. Many other notable things happened this year, but let’s discuss how you can end the year financially strong.

Here are the top 8 tips from our financial advisors.

1. Consider rebalancing your portfolio.

The stock market’s major recovery since March may have left your portfolio overweight in some areas or underweight in others. Be sure that you’re taking on the correct amount of risk by rebalancing your long-term asset allocation.

2. Assess your financial goals.

Starting now, assess where you are with the financial goals you’ve set for yourself. Take the necessary steps to help meet your goals before year-end so that you can begin 2021 with a clean slate.

3. Know the estate tax rules.

For those with estates over $5M, be sure to review your potential estate tax exposure under both a Republican and Democrat administration.

4. Review your employer benefits package and retirement plan.

Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15. Review your open enrollment benefit package and your employer retirement plan. Don’t gloss over areas such as Group Life and Disability Elections as most Americans are vastly underinsured. Many 401k plans now offer an “auto increase” feature which can increase your contribution 1% each year until the contribution level hits 15%, for example.  

5. Take advantage of tax planning opportunities.

Such as tax-loss harvesting in after-tax investment accounts or Roth IRA conversions. Many folks have a lower income in 2020 which could present an opportunity to move some money from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA while in a slightly lower tax bracket.

6. Boost your cash reserves.

It’s so important to have cash savings to cover unexpected expenses or income loss. Having a solid emergency fund can prevent you from having to sell investments in a down market or from taking on high-interest debt. Ideally, families with two working spouses should have enough cash to cover at least 3 months of expenses. While single income households should have cash to cover six months. Take the opportunity to review your budget and challenge yourself to find additional savings each week through year-end.

7. Contribute more to your retirement plan.

Increase your retirement account contributions for long-term savings, great tax benefits, and free money (aka an employer match).

Contributions you make to an employer pre-tax 401k or 403b are excluded from your taxable income and can grow tax-deferred. Roth account contributions are made after-tax but can grow tax-free.

If your employer plan and financial situation allow for it, you can accelerate your savings from now until the end of the year by setting your contribution level to a high percentage of your income.  Many employers allow you to contribute up to 100% of your pay.

8. Give to charity.

Is there a charity you would like to support? Make a charitable donation! Salvation Army and Toys for Tots are popular around this time.

This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of the author and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected. Rebalancing a non-retirement account could be a taxable event that may increase your tax liability. Conversions from IRA to Roth may be subject to its own five-year holding period. Unless certain criteria are met, Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals of contributions along with any earnings are permitted. Converting a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA has tax implications. Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion. Matching contributions from your employer may be subject to a vesting schedule. Please consult with your financial advisor for more information. 401(k) plans are long-term retirement savings vehicles. Withdrawal of pre-tax contributions and/or earnings will be subject to ordinary income tax and, if taken prior to age 59 1/2, may be subject to a 10% federal tax penalty. Contributions to a Roth 401(k) are never tax deductible, but if certain conditions are met, distributions will be completely income tax free. Unlike Roth IRAs, Roth 401(k) participants are subject to required minimum distributions at age 72.

What Are The Hidden Costs Of Buying A Home?

Contributed by: Robert Ingram, CFP®

Today’s historically low-interest rates can mean a more affordable mortgage payment. However, when buying a home within your budget, it’s important to consider the costs beyond the mortgage.

Let’s begin with the costs to purchase a home.

Even while carrying a mortgage, you will need to make a down payment. While there are low down payment loans, try to put down at least 20% of the purchase price. Otherwise, your loan may have a higher interest rate and you could face additional monthly costs such as mortgage insurance.

You will have closing costs, which can include things such as loan origination fees for processing and underwriting the mortgage, appraisal costs, inspection fee, title insurance, pre-paid property taxes, and first year’s homeowner’s insurance. Generally, you should expect to pay between 3-5% of the mortgage amount.

Now, you will have ongoing costs to live in your home.

Annual property taxes average about 1% of the home value nationwide, but the tax rates can vary widely depending on the city or town. Keep property taxes top of mind when you are looking at different communities.

Homeowner’s insurance is another annual cost that not only depends on the value of the home and the contents within it you are covering, but also on the state and local community. This cost generally ranges between $500-1,500 per year, sometimes more.

If your home is a condominium or a single family home, you should expect annual or monthly homeowner’s association fees that cover the care of common areas, the grounds, clubhouses, or pools. Depending on the number of amenities and of course the location, average fees range from $200-400 per month.

While you may be used to paying some utilities as a renter, the size of your new home could significantly increase your utility rates. Going from an 800 square-foot apartment to a 2,500 square-foot house could double or triple the costs to heat it, cool it, and to keep the lights on. Add your local area water and sewer fees and your utilities could easily reach $500 per month or more.

Going from renting to homeownership also means having to maintain the new home (both inside and out). Things can be regular ongoing maintenance like lawn care and landscaping, or larger projects like painting, roof repair, furnace, and appliance replacement. Consider the tools and equipment you would need to buy or the services you would hire to do the work.

Finally, there is another hidden cost that can put a dent in your budget, filling up the house.  A home with more rooms can mean more spaces that “need” furniture and other decorative touches. The costs of furnishings can be several thousands of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Without proper planning, it can be all too easy to rack up those credit card bills and have a mountain of debt as you move into your new home.

Robert Ingram, CFP®, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® With more than 15 years of industry experience, he is a trusted source for local media outlets and frequent contributor to The Center’s “Money Centered” blog.

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This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Bob Ingram, and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. does not provide advice on mortgages. Raymond James and its financial advisors do not solicit or offer residential mortgage products and are unable to accept any residential mortgage loan applications or to offer or negotiate terms of any such loan. You will be referred to a qualified professional for your residential mortgage lending needs.

Do You Know Why 2020 Is A Critical Year For Tax Planning?

Contributed by: Nick Defenthaler, CFP®, RICP®

It’s been quite the year, hasn’t it? 2020 has certainly kicked off the decade in an interesting fashion. In addition to the coronavirus quarantine, it’s also a year that required a significant amount of tax planning and forward-thinking. Why is this year so unique as it relates to taxes? Great question, let's dive in!

SECURE Act

The SECURE ACT was passed in late December 2019 and became effective in 2020. The most meaningful part of the SECURE Act was the elimination of the stretch IRA provision for most non-spouse IRA beneficiaries. Non-spouse beneficiaries now only have a 10-year window to deplete the account which will likely result in the beneficiary being thrust into a higher tax bracket. This update has made many retirees re-think their distribution planning strategy as well as reconsider who they are naming as beneficiaries on certain accounts, given the beneficiary’s current and future tax bracket. Click HERE to read more about this change. 

CARES Act 

Fast forward to March, the CARES Act was passed. This critical stimulus bill provided direct payments to most Americans, extended and increased unemployment benefits, and outlined the parameters for the Paycheck Protection Program for small business relief. Also, another important aspect of the CARES Act was the suspension of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for 2020. This isn’t the first time this has occurred. Back in 2009, RMDs were suspended to provide relief for retirees given the “Great Recession” and financial crisis. However, the reality is that for most Americans who are over 70 1/2 and subject to RMDs (RMDs now begin at age 72 starting in 2020 due to the SECURE Act), actually need the distributions for cash flow purposes. That said, for those retirees who have other income sources (ex. Social Security, large pensions, etc.) and investment accounts to cover cash flow and don’t necessarily “need” their RMD for the year for cash flow, 2020 presents a unique planning opportunity. Not having the RMD from your IRA or 401k flow through to your tax return as income could reduce your overall income tax bracket and also lower your future Medicare premiums (Part B & D premiums are based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income). We have seen plenty of cases, however, that still make the case for the client to take their RMD or at least a portion of it given their current and projected future tax bracket. There is certainly no “one size fits all” approach with this one and coordination with your financial planner and tax professional is ideal to ensure the best strategy is employed for you. 

Lower Income In 2020

Income for many Americans is lower this year for a myriad of reasons. For those clients still working, it could be due to a pay cut, furlough, or layoff. Unfortunately, we have received several dozen calls and e-mails from clients informing us that they have been affected by one of the aforementioned events. In anomaly years where income is much less than the norm, it presents an opportunity to accelerate income (typically though IRA distributions, Roth IRA conversions, or capital gain harvesting). Every situation is unique so you should chat with your planner about these strategies if you have unfortunately seen a meaningful reduction in pay. 

Thankfully, the market has seen an incredible recovery since mid-March and most diversified portfolios are very close to their January 1st starting balances. However, income generated in after-tax investment accounts through dividends and interest are down a bit given dividend cuts by large corporations and because of our historically low interest rate environment. We were also were very proactive in March and April with a strategy known as tax-loss harvesting, so your capital gain exposure may be muted this year. Many folks will even have losses to carry over into 2021 and beyond which can help offset other forms of income. For these reasons, accelerating income could also be something to consider. 

Higher Tax Rates In 2021, A Very Possible Scenario 

Given current polling numbers, a Democratic sweep seems like a plausible outcome. If this occurs, many analysts are predicting that current, historically low rates could expire effective January 1, 2021. We obviously won’t know how this plays out until November, but if tax rates are expected to see a meaningful increase from where there are now, accelerating income should be explored. Converting money from a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA or moving funds from a pre-tax, Traditional IRA to an after-tax investment account (assuming you are over the age of 59 1/2 to avoid a 10% early withdrawal penalty) eliminates the future uncertainty of the taxes on those dollars converted or distributed. Ever since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed in late 2017 and went into law in 2018, we have been taking a close look at these strategies for clients as the low tax rates are set to expire on January 1, 2026. However, if taxes have a very real chance of going back to higher levels as soon as 2021, a more aggressive income acceleration plan could be prudent. 

As you can see, there have been many moving parts and items to consider related to tax planning for 2020. While we spend a great deal of our time managing the investments within your portfolio, our team is also looking at how all of these new laws and ever-changing tax landscape can impact your wealth as well. In our opinion, good tax planning doesn’t mean getting your current year’s tax liability as low as humanly possible. It’s about looking at many different aspects of your plan, including your current income, philanthropy goals, future income, and tax considerations as well as considering the individuals or organizations that will one day inherit your wealth and helping you pay the least amount of tax over your entire lifetime.

Nick Defenthaler, CFP®, RICP®, is a Partner and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® Nick specializes in tax-efficient retirement income and distribution planning for clients and serves as a trusted source for local and national media publications, including WXYZ, PBS, CNBC, MSN Money, Financial Planning Magazine and OnWallStreet.com.

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All investments are subject to risk. There is no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful. Unless certain criteria are met, Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals are permitted. Additionally, each converted amount may be subject to its own five-year holding period. Converting a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA has tax implications. Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion. Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax or legal advice. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.

What You Need to Know About the RMDs Deadline Extension

Contributed by: Robert Ingram, CFP®

To combat the economic impact of COVID-19, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on March 27, 2020.  The more than 2 trillion dollar stimulus package contained numerous provisions including an expansion of unemployment benefits, tax credit direct payments to qualified individuals, financial support to small businesses/healthcare facilities/state and local governments, and some changes to retirement account rules.  One of the provisions affecting retirement accounts was to suspend Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for 2020.  Individuals subject to RMDs for qualified retirement plans such as 401(k), 403(b) and IRA accounts are not required to take distributions this year (including beneficiaries owning inherited IRAs who were still subject to annual RMDs).

What does this suspension of RMDs mean for individuals who have already taken distributions prior to the CARES Act, but would not have if given the choice? If you have taken a distribution before March 27 is there a way to reverse or ‘undo’ the distribution?

Expanding The 60-Day Rollover Window For 2020

A retirement account owner that takes possession of a distribution from the account has 60 days from the date of withdrawal to complete a rollover into another eligible retirement account, for example, a rollover to an IRA.  Doing so excludes the distribution from income that could be subject to taxes and penalties.  This is referred to as the 60-day rollover rule; the IRS allows this one time per 12-month period. Please note that the one time per year rule does NOT apply to direct rollovers such a direct 401(k) rollover to an IRA.

Individuals who took a retirement account distribution prior to March 27 and were still within the 60 days since taking the distribution could have used the 60-day rollover rule to put their distribution back into their respective accounts, classifying it as a rollover.  However, this window was very limited.

In April, the IRS issued the first notice of guidance extending the 60-day rollover rule in 2020:

What qualified?

Distributions taken on or after February 1, 2020 could be rolled over into the retirement account.

When must the distribution be rolled over into the retirement account?

The later of

1. 60 days after receiving the distribution

2. July 15, 2020

This provided greater flexibility for individuals that had taken an RMD after January 31.  However, it still did not cover those that received an RMD in January.  Individuals that had already completed a once per year 60-day rollover within the last 12-months would also have been ineligible to use this rollover rule again to reverse their RMD.  In addition, this rollover window would not apply to non-spouse beneficiaries with inherited IRA accounts, since rollovers are not allowed for those accounts.

IRS Extends Rollover Deadline For All RMDs Made In 2020 To August 31st

In June, the IRS issued further guidance that essentially allows all RMDs that have been taken in 2020 to be repaid.  This IRS notice 2020-51 does the following:

• Rollover deadline has been extended to August 31, 2020 and covers RMDs taken any time in 2020.  This allows those who have taken RMDs as early as January to put the funds back into their retirement accounts by rolling over the funds if it is completed by August 31st.

• This rollover to reverse RMDs taken in 2020 does not count as part of the once per year 60-day rollover. This would allow individuals to use the rollover to prepay their RMDs regardless of whether they had already used a 60-day rollover within the last 12 months.

• Provides an exception allowing non-spouse beneficiaries to return RMDs to their Inherited IRAs in 2020.

A couple of points of note when considering repaying your RMDs taken this year

• The IRS notice 2020-51 only applies to distributions representing your Required Minimum Distribution amount.  Distributions other than your RMD amounts would be subject to the once per year 60-day rollover rule.

• If you had federal or state taxes withheld when you took your required minimum distribution, these amounts cannot be reversed and returned from the federal or state treasuries.  You could return your total gross RMD back to your retirement account, but it would have to be made out-of-pocket.  Any excess withholding would be resolved next year when you file your 2020 tax returns.

While reversing this year’s required minimum distributions may provide some great benefits such as potentially lowering your taxable income in 2020 or allowing for a Roth IRA conversion as an alternative, everyone’s financial situation and tax planning needs are unique.  For some folks, it could make sense to take RMDs if they expect higher income in the future that could fall in a higher tax bracket, for example.

Having a good conversation with your advisors can help you decide what is right for you.  As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Robert Ingram, CFP®, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® With more than 15 years of industry experience, he is a trusted source for local media outlets and frequent contributor to The Center’s “Money Centered” blog.

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The information contained in this report does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets, or developments referred to in this material. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Raymond James does not provide tax or legal services. Please discuss these matters with the appropriate professional. Conversions from IRA to Roth may be subject to its own five-year holding period. Unless certain criteria are met, Roth IRA owners must be 59½ or older and have held the IRA for five years before tax-free withdrawals of contributions along with any earnings are permitted. Converting a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA has tax implications. Investors should consult a tax advisor before deciding to do a conversion.

Should I worry if my 401k savings are down?

Contributed by: Robert Ingram, CFP®

It can be scary when financial markets are volatile and selloffs happen. Understandably, many are concerned about how COVID-19 will impact the economy, our health, and our financial security. These fears and the volatile markets that follow can temp retirement savers to make drastic changes to their investment portfolios; some may even cease investing entirely. For example, if you watch your 401(k) continue to lose value, you may want to stop contributing. However, I’ll explain why you should stick with your current long-term savings and investment plan.

Why Its Beneficial to Keep Contributing

Contributing to a retirement plan like a 401(k) or 403(b) is still one of the best ways for most Americans to save and build wealth for retirement, particularly in times of economic uncertainty. 

• Tax Benefits 

  Contributions to most 401(k) plans are made pre-tax, meaning these amounts are excluded from your taxable income in the year they are made. This reduces your current income taxes. It also allows those savings to grow tax-deferred year-after-year until they are withdrawn.

  Employer plans that offer a Roth designated account (i.e. a Roth 401(k) or Roth 403(b)) can present a great opportunity for investing. Roth contributions are made after-tax, so those amounts do not reduce your taxable income like the 401(k) does. However, those savings grow tax-deferred. The withdrawals and earnings are tax-exempt, provided you are at least age 59 ½ and have held the account for at least 5 years. This tax-free growth can be a powerful tool, especially for individuals that may be in a higher income tax bracket in the future.

• Opportunity To Buy Low

  For investors that are still contributing to their plans, a downturn in markets actually presents an opportunity to invest new savings into funds at lower prices. This allows the same amount of contributions to buy more shares. As markets and economic conditions rebound, you will have accumulated more shares of investments that could grow in value.

• Matching Contributions

  Need another incentive to keep those contributions going? Don’t forget about opportunities to receive employer matching with retirement plans. If your employer offers a 401(k) match, you would receive additional savings on top of your own contributions. Let’s say your employer matches 50% on contributions you make up to 6% of your salary. By putting 6% of your income into your 401(k), your employer would contribute an extra 3%. That’s like earning a 50% return on your invested contributions immediately. Those extra contributions can then buy additional shares which can also compound over time. 

Should I Ever Consider Stopping Contributions?

Even in a booming economy and during the strongest bull market, it’s important to have a strong financial foundation in place before deciding to invest over the long-term. Having key elements of your day-day-finances as stable as possible is necessary as we navigate the incredible challenges created by COVID-19. A few examples include:

• Control Over Your Cash Flow

  Do you know exactly how much money you earn and spend? Understanding where your income exceeds your expenses gives you the fuel to power your savings. How secure is your employment? Are you in an industry directly or indirectly impacted by the economic shutdowns due to COVID-19? What would happen to your cash flow if you had a reduced income? If there are other expenses you could cut in order to maintain your contributions, you should still try to contribute. However, if you need every dollar possible to pay your bills, you would have no choice but to suspend your 401(k) contributions.

• Cash For Any Short-Term Needs

  Having cash reserves is a critical part of a sound financial plan. If an unexpected expense occurs or you had a loss of income, be sure to have cash savings to draw from rather than being forced to sell investments that may less valuable or to use credit cards with high-interest debt. If your savings is less than a month’s worth of normal expenses, you should consider focusing your efforts on reinforcing your cash reserve rather than on your retirement plan. Then, ideally, you should work towards building 3 to 6 months’ expenses for your emergency fund as you continue to save for retirement or other goals.

• Tackling Your Debt

  If you have high-interest rate debt that you are working to pay off and are unable to find additional savings in your budget to increase your payment amounts, it could make sense to redirect your retirement plan contributions to pay the debt down first. On the other hand, if your employer offers a company match, you should still consider contributing at least enough to get the full amount of matching dollars (remember that free money could see a return of 50% or more). You could then redirect any amounts you are contributing above that maximum match percentage.

Your situation and needs are unique to you. It’s important to work closely with a financial advisor when making decisions, especially in these incredibly difficult times.

Robert Ingram, CFP®, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® With more than 15 years of industry experience, he is a trusted source for local media outlets and frequent contributor to The Center’s “Money Centered” blog.

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Keep in mind that investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

What’s the Difference Between a Roth and a Traditional IRA?

Contributed by: Kali Hassinger, CFP®, CDFA®

Many are focused on filing their taxes by April 15th, but that day is also the deadline to make a 2019 IRA contribution! With only a week left, how will you decide between making a Roth or a traditional IRA contribution? There are pros and cons to each type of retirement account, but your individual situation will determine the better option. Keep in mind, the IRS has rules to dictate who can make contributions, and when.

2019 Roth IRA Contribution Rules/Limits

• For single filers, the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) limit is phased out between $122,000 and $137,000.

• For married filing jointly, the MAGI limit is phased out between $193,000 and $203,000

• Please keep in mind that for making contributions to this type of account, it makes no difference if you are covered by a qualified retirement plan at work (401k, 403b, etc.), you simply have to be under the income thresholds.

• The maximum contribution is $6,000 for those under the age of 50. For those who are 50 & older (and have earned income for the year), you can contribute an additional $1,000 each year.

2019 Traditional IRA Contributions

• For single filers covered by a company retirement plan, the deduction is phased out between $64,000 and $74,000 of MAGI.

• For married filers covered by a company retirement plan, the deduction is phased out between $103,000 and $123,000 of MAGI.

• For married filers not covered by a company plan, but have a spouse who is, the deduction for your IRA contribution is phased out between $193,000 and $203,000 of MAGI.

• The maximum contribution is $6,000 if you’re under the age of 50. For those who are 50 & older (and have earned income for the year), you can contribute an additional $1,000 each year.

Now, you may be wondering what type makes more sense for you (if you are eligible). Well, like many financial questions…it depends! 

Roth IRA Advantage

The benefit of a Roth IRA is that money grows tax deferred. So, when you are over age 59 1/2 and have held the money for 5 years, the money you take out is tax free. However, in exchange for tax free money, you don’t get an upfront tax deduction when investing the money in the Roth. You are paying your tax bill today rather than in the future. 

Traditional IRA Advantage

With a traditional IRA, you get a tax deduction the year you contribute money to the IRA. For example, a married couple filing jointly has a MAGI of $190,000 putting them in a 24% marginal tax bracket.  If they made a full $6,000 traditional IRA contribution they would save $1,440 in taxes. To make that same $6,000 contribution to a Roth, they would need to earn $7,895 to pay 24% in taxes in order to then make the $6,000 contribution. The drawback of the traditional IRA is that you will be taxed on it later in life when you begin making withdrawals in retirement. Withdrawals taken prior to age 59 1/2, may be subject to a 10% federal tax penalty.

Pay Now or Pay Later?

Future tax rates make it challenging to choose what account type is right for you. If you go the Roth IRA route, you will pay your tax bill now. The downside is that you could find yourself in a lower tax bracket in retirement. In that case, it would have been more lucrative to take the other route. And vice versa.

How Do I Decide?

We typically recommend Roth contributions to young professionals because their income will most likely increase over the years. However, if you need tax savings now, a traditional contribution may make more sense. A traditional IRA may be the best choice if your income is stable and you’re in a higher tax bracket.  However, you could be disqualified from making contributions based on access to other retirement plans. 

As always, before making any final decisions, it’s always a good idea to work with a qualified financial professional to help you understand what makes the most sense for you.

Kali Hassinger, CFP®, CDFA®, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She has more than a decade of financial planning and insurance industry experience.

SECURE Act: Potential Trust Planning Pitfall

Contributed by: Josh Bitel, CFP®

Does the SECURE Act affect your retirement accounts?  If you’re not sure, let’s figure it out together.

Just about 2 months ago, the Senate passed the SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act.  The legislation has many layers to it, some of which may impact your financial plan.

One major change is the elimination of ‘stretch’ distributions for non-spouse beneficiaries of retirement accounts such as IRAs. This means that retirement accounts inherited by children or any other non-spousal individuals at least 10 years younger than the deceased account owner must deplete the entire account no later than 10 years after the date of death. Prior to the SECURE Act, beneficiaries were able to ‘stretch’ out distributions over their lifetime, as long as they withdraw the minimum required amount from the account each year based on their age. This allowed for greater flexibility and control over the tax implications of these distributions.

What if your beneficiary is a trust?

Prior to this new law, a see-through trust was a sensible planning tool for retirement account holders, as it gives owners post-mortem control over how their assets are distributed to beneficiaries.  These trusts often contained language that allowed heirs to only distribute the minimum required amount each year as the IRS dictated.  However, now that stretch IRAs are no longer permitted, ‘required distributions’ are no longer in place until the 10th year after death, in which case the IRS requires the entire account to be emptied.  This could potentially create a major tax implication for inherited account holders.  All trusts are not created equally, so 2020 is a great year to get back in touch with your estate planning attorney to make sure your plan is bullet proof.

It is important to note that if you already have an IRA from which you have been taking stretch distributions from, you are grandfathered into using this provision, so no changes are needed.  Other exemptions from this 10-year distribution rule are spouses, individual beneficiaries less than 10 years younger than the account holder, and disabled or chronically ill beneficiaries.  Also exempt are 501(c)(3) charitable organizations and minor children who inherit accounts prior to age 18 or 21 (depending on the state) – once they reach that specified age, the 10-year rule will apply from that point, however.

Still uncertain if the SECURE Act impacts you?  Reach out to your financial advisor or contact us. We are happy to help.

Josh Bitel, CFP® is an Associate Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® He conducts financial planning analysis for clients and has a special interest in retirement income analysis.

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Please note, changes in tax laws may occur at any time and could have a substantial impact upon each person's situation. While we are familiar with the tax provisions of the issues presented herein, as Financial Advisors of RJFS, we are not qualified to render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.