Education

Mountain West IRA's Education resources empower clients with valuable information and guidance on retirement planning, investment options, and financial strategies, fostering financial literacy and enabling individuals to make informed decisions for their retirement future.

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Blog Articles

Avoiding Excess Contributions

Investing in an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is crucial for many Americans' retirement strategies, offering substantial tax benefits and growth potential. However, the intricate rules governing IRA contributions can be tricky, often leading to excess contributions that incur penalties and diminish your savings. This blog identifies six common scenarios where over-contributing to an IRA can occur and provides practical tips to prevent these errors. It highlights the importance of understanding annual contribution limits, managing multiple IRA accounts, adhering to income limits for Roth IRAs, completing rollovers within the designated period, tracking automatic contributions, and ensuring contributions align with earned income. By staying informed and cautious, you can avoid these pitfalls and optimize your retirement savings. Consult with a financial advisor for tailored advice to navigate your IRA contributions effectively.

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Exploring the New 529 Plan Rollover Option to Roth IRAs

In 2022, the SECURE Act, also known as SECURE 2.0, brought forth pivotal changes to tax-advantaged savings plans. One of the notable updates effective from 2024 allows for the rollover of certain assets from 529 higher education savings plans into Roth IRAs. This provision presents a strategic opportunity to leverage 529 plan funds for retirement savings, particularly beneficial when educational expenses fall short of projections. Discover how this new option works and its potential advantages for maximizing savings towards retirement goals.

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Who is Eligible to Set up an IRA Account?

This blog provides a comprehensive overview of who is eligible to set up an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), highlighting key eligibility criteria such as age, income requirements, and tax filing status. It emphasizes the flexibility and benefits of both Traditional and Roth IRAs for various groups, including young professionals, self-employed individuals, and those seeking tax advantages or additional retirement savings options. The blog encourages readers to consider IRAs as a powerful tool in their retirement planning, suggesting consultation with a financial advisor to tailor decisions to individual financial situations.

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How to Correct a Missed RMD

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are pivotal in retirement planning, ensuring individuals withdraw a minimum annually from their accounts, starting at age 73. However, missing an RMD can lead to penalties. If overlooked, individuals must promptly withdraw the missed amount to avoid a 25% excess accumulation penalty tax from the IRS. Correcting this error swiftly can reduce the penalty to 10%, a welcome change from the previous 50% penalty prior to 2023. Understanding these rules is crucial for maintaining compliance and maximizing retirement savings.

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Planning on Making a Prior Year Contribution to Your IRA? Here Are 6 Facts to Keep in Mind

"Planning for retirement involves making savvy financial decisions, including utilizing prior year contributions to your IRA. This strategy offers flexibility and potential tax benefits, but it's essential to understand the rules. Learn about deadlines, contribution limits, tax implications, and the advantages of both Traditional and Roth IRAs. Whether you're catching up on savings or optimizing your tax strategy, these six key facts will guide you toward maximizing your long-term financial health."

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Understanding Indirect Rollover Rules

This blog post provides a comprehensive overview of indirect rollovers in the context of retirement planning. It covers essential topics such as what an indirect rollover is, the process involved, key rules like the 60-day rule and the 1 per 12-month rule, tax implications including withholding, and exceptions to the rules. The post emphasizes the importance of understanding these regulations to avoid unintended tax consequences and maximize the benefits of managing retirement savings effectively. It concludes by advising readers to seek personalized advice from financial advisors or tax professionals to navigate the complexities of indirect rollovers tailored to their specific circumstances.

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Navigating the Pitfalls of Excess IRA Contributions: What You Need to Know

This blog provides essential guidance on managing Individual Retirement Account (IRA) contributions to avoid costly mistakes. Excess contributions, which exceed IRS limits, can incur significant penalties. For instance, in 2024, individuals under 50 can contribute up to $7,000. Excess contributions may arise from contributing to a Roth IRA above income limits or making ineligible rollovers. The IRS imposes a 6% annual tax on excess amounts until corrected, typically by October 15 of the following year. Options post-deadline include withdrawals with penalties or applying excess amounts to future contributions. Proper management and timely corrections are crucial for optimizing retirement savings and avoiding financial penalties.

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What is a SEP IRA, and who are they for?

This blog post provides a comprehensive overview of a SEP IRA, covering its definition, benefits, eligibility criteria, and suitability for various types of business owners and self-employed individuals. It emphasizes the high contribution limits, tax advantages, simplicity in administration, and flexibility in contribution decisions annually. The post also highlights that SEP IRAs can be beneficial for both small business owners and self-employed individuals looking to maximize retirement savings while potentially providing retirement benefits to employees. It concludes by recommending consultation with a financial advisor for personalized guidance.

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