IRA Rules

Archive for May, 2007

Retirement calculators are very useful in helping people plan for their retirement. Because most people start saving money tens of years in advance before they retire, it is hard to calculate how much money they actually need to save. IRA calculators are helpful when you have IRA accounts whether it be a traditional IRA, a Roth IRA, a SEP IRA or other types of individual retirement accounts.

What are IRA calculators?

IRA calculators are any calculators that help people invest in their IRA accounts. An IRA Calculator can help people find out how much money they need to invest in the IRA account or even the types of investments they need in order to achieve their financial goals.

For example, when you are close to retirement age but do not have enough money accumulated in your IRA, you may need to figure out if you need to invest in more aggressive stocks or keep earning low interests in bonds, certificate of deposits or other safe investments. IRA calculators will show you what if scenarios.

Different type of IRA calculators

Since there are more than one type of IRA, there are more than one IRA calculators. A Roth IRA Calculator, for example, will help investors understand how a Roth IRA works and how they can improve their investments in a Roth IRA.

Roth IRAs are popular because qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA are tax free. People don’t like to pay taxes and by having a Roth IRA, they can save a lot of money on taxes.

Another useful calculator is the general retirement planning calculator that will help people calculate how much they will need when they retire figuring out the inflation rate and their lifestyle at the time. By knowing how much you will need in the future, you can start designing a financial plan so that you will reach your goals.

Question: Inheriting from an IRA?

A friend is inheriting from an IRA. She has 30 days to open an IRA with the funds. Is there anything she should know? Does she have a choice of an IRA or Roth IRA?

I’m pretty astute about IRA’s, but I don’t know the rules on inheriting from an IRA.

Answer: Here are her options.

http://personal.fidelity.com/products/retirement/inheritedira/parentorother.shtml

She can choose what she wants to do.

Question: Whats my Required Minimum Distribution this year?

Last year I didn’t have to take a distribution from my IRA, because of a one year exception for 2009. Now this year I don’t know what % I’m required to take. Do I continue on the chart as if I had taken a distribution, or do I just go to the next %. After I wrote this, I wonder whether you will be as confused about my wording as I am.

Answer: Each year stands on its own. There is a table based on your age that you use. Since even though you didn’t take an RMD, you still got a year older, you’d go to the line on the table for your age this year.