Proposed IRA Changes in the Obama Federal Budget

Posted on March 26, 2016 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

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Reviewing Potential IRA Changes 

Rick Kahler MS CFP

By Rick Kahler CFP® http://www.KahlerFinancial.com

The President has fired the first warning shot indicating that politicians are eying the tax advantages of the Roth IRA. For years I’ve strongly encouraged maximum funding of Roth IRAs & 401(k)s.

Physician-Clients have sometimes expressed concern that politicians would someday retroactively change the rules and strip the plans of their tax advantages. I’ve seen that concern as a possibility (for example, in 2008 Argentina confiscated the assets in IRAs and 401(k)s and replaced them with less than desirable Argentinian Government Bonds), but not much of a probability. 

With the introduction of the President’s 2016 budget, the probability of losing some Roth IRA tax benefits has increased.  

Each February the President submits a budget to Congress which is about far more than spending requests. It also contains scores of proposed changes to existing tax laws. One such proposal in the current budget would eliminate two tax advantages of the Roth IRA.  

The first change would require required minimum distributions (RMDs) for Roth IRAs as well as traditional IRAs.  

Currently, one of the benefits of a Roth IRA is not having to take RMDs. At age 70 1/2, owners of traditional IRAs are required withdraw a certain percentage annually, often around 4%. They must pay the tax due and, if they don’t need the funds for living expenses, must invest the remainder in a taxable account. The RMD denies them the option of leaving the money in the tax-deferred environment of the IRA and further compounding.  

Under the President’s proposal, owners of Roth IRAs will need to start withdrawing funds annually at age 70 1/2. While there won’t be any taxes due because contributions to Roths are post-tax, it will remove the funds from the tax-free environment, decreasing future returns by up to 40%. That’s a big deal. 

The second proposed change would eliminate tax-deferred inheritance of IRAs (sometimes called “stretch IRAs) for anyone except spouses. All other inherited IRAs would need to be dissolved and the funds distributed and taxed within five years after death. This will really impact Baby Boomers counting on their parents’ IRAs to assist them with their own retirement needs. 

Other budget proposals would also end Roth conversions to any after-tax IRAs, limiting them to IRAs where the contributions were before taxes. This would prohibit taxpayers with earnings above the traditional and Roth IRA threshold from making non-deductible contributions to a traditional IRA and then doing a Roth conversion. 

The final proposal would limit new IRA contributions for total retirement savings totaling over $3.4 million. This includes the aggregate total of IRAs, 401(k)s, and any other pension plan balances. Once the total reaches $3.4 million at the end of the tax year, no new contributions are possible. 

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Capping IRA Growth?

To many Americans, especially the youth, this looks like a cap they will never see in their lifetime. Yet consider what $3.4 million will be worth in purchasing power 40 years from now, when today’s 30-year-olds will have to start RMDs. If inflation maintains its historical average of 3%, in 40 years $3.4 million will have the purchasing power of just over $1 million today. If someone wants to be assured they will never run out of money in retirement, $1 million only provides $30,000 a year of retirement income.

Capping IRA growth is another big deal.

Assessment 

These are a few of the tax changes proposed by the President’s budget. The chances for any to become law in 2016 are remote, given that Congress is currently controlled by Republicans. However, the proposals do signal the current thinking of lawmakers. In considering their retirement planning, taxpayers would be advised to pay attention to such signals.

Conclusion

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Some US Federal Budget Proposals

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

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Government Shutdown Hoopla for Retirees, Inheritors and Savers

By Rick Kahler CFP® http://www.KahlerFinancial.com

Rick Kahler CFPLost in the hoopla over the government shutdown, defunding Obamacare, and raising the debt ceiling are some proposals contained in President Obama’s budget that will have a significant impact on retirees, inheritors, and savers.

Most of the President’s proposals are aimed at enforcing higher taxes on savers who maximize their retirement plans. This is a way to raise revenue for government entitlement programs, like subsidies for health insurance, Medicare, and Social Security.

Retirement and Retirees

Back from last year is his proposal to cap contributions to IRA’s and 401(k)’s when the balance reaches a level determined by a set formula which is tied to interest rates. The proposal sets the cap at $3.4 million initially. As interest rates rise, the cap will lower. When a saver’s IRA balance hits the cap, he or she will not be allowed to make further contributions to any retirement plan.

This will mostly affect savers who terminate employment and roll large accumulations from profit-sharing plans and lump-sum distributions from defined benefit plans into their IRA’s. It will shut down their ability to save into the future.

Taxes and Inheritors

The President has yet another plan to end tax-deductible contributions for upper income earners. Only 28% of a contribution would be deductible for any taxpayer whose bracket exceeds 28%. For a taxpayer in the highest bracket, this means a tax increase of about 50%.

Another of the President’s proposals would end the ability of anyone other than a spouse to inherit a tax-deferred IRA. Under the proposal, all non-spouses inheriting an IRA would have five years to terminate the IRA and pay income taxes on the distributions. This proposal really impacts Roth IRA conversions, as most parents convert traditional IRA’s to Roths with the intention of leaving their children a non-taxable sum of money that can continue to grow tax free during their lifetime. If the President’s proposal passes, many older savers will discover that the intentions behind their Roth conversions have been nullified.

Forced Savings and Savers

While President Obama wants to cap what successful savers can stash away in retirement plans, he also wants to force employees to save for retirement. Employers will be required to open IRA’s for every employee and to fund the plan at a minimum of 3% of the employee’s pay, unless the employee specifically opts out. The employee can contribute more than 3%, up to the $5,000 cap for those under 50 and $6,000 for those over 50.

Of course, savvy savers and ME-P readers know most of us need to be saving 20% to 50% of our salaries, depending on our ages, so saving just 3% of pay won’t amount to much in the way of retirement income.

Good News

On the positive side, the President wants to end required minimum distributions on IRA balances under $75,000. This will reduce some paperwork for savers with smaller IRA’s who are not making withdrawals.

Typically, most retirees with small IRA’s are those with less savings anyway, who need to take withdrawals from their IRA’s to make ends meet. So it’s doubtful this rule change will have much impact.

Finally, the President proposes letting inherited non-spousal IRA’s enjoy the same benefit of a 60-day rollover window on any distribution, similar to what they can do with a non-inherited IRA. This will simply eliminate a lot of confusion, as most people don’t understand the 60-day rollover provision does not include inherited IRA’s.

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Assessment

Of course, whether any or all of these proposals make it into law is anyone’s guess. Anyone whose retirement and estate planning includes saving in IRA’s will want to keep an eye on these provisions as the budget moves through Congress.

Conclusion

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On HIT Cost Savings

Posted on May 14, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

Real or Imagined SolutionsUS Capitol

According to David M. Cutler, of the Center for American Progress Fund [CAPF] on May 11, 2009, health care will be the major challenge to the federal budget in coming decades. Rising health costs will account for nearly all of the expected increase in government spending relative to gross domestic product [GDP].

Healthcare Costs and GDP

Health care currently accounts for 16 percent of domestic GDP, and that share is forecast to nearly double in the next quarter century. Spending money on health care is not bad, but wasting money is very bad.

Link: http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2009/05/health_modernization.htmlHIT

HIT to the Rescue

But, $600 billion might be saved over the next ten years, and $9 trillion saved over the next 25 years, if HIT initiatives are used; says the CAPF.

Assessment

Estimates suggest that a third or more of medical spending—perhaps $700 billion per year—is not known to be worth the cost. Wasting hundreds of billions of dollars on inefficient health care is a luxury the country cannot afford.

Conclusion

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