The Secure Act: Important Changes to Your IRA that You Need to Know

If you’re planning to leave an inheritance to your children, there’s a new rule in the Secure Act that will probably cause your kids to pay more taxes if you pass on your retirement plan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yQ22dT2H6I Today, we’re discussing how the Secure Act, passed in 2019, affects your retirement plans and may front-load taxes to kids who inherit these plans.  If you want to know what the Secure Act is, how it applies to you, and what you can do about it… tune in below!   Table of contents* The Key Takeaways of the Secure Act* Contributions* Part-time Workers Get 401(k) Options* Tax Breaks* Parental Aid* The Secure Act and IRAs* How the Secure Act Impacts Inheritance* Maximize Your Inheritance* Book A Strategy Call If you have an IRA, the following changes to the tax laws are important for you to know. These changes can affect how your inheritance is distributed from an IRA, making it prudent to reassess your financial strategy. We want to help you continue to maximize your retirement and still leave an inheritance, should you choose. Staying on top of the changes and making some smart pivots can save you and your family on heavy tax penalties down the road.  We have designed this article as an overview of the changes so that you can meet with your CPA and financial advisors with confidence. It’s always crucial to be informed, yet work with a professional on the specifics. The Key Takeaways of the Secure Act Before we can dive too deep into the impact of these changes, and what you can do differently, it’s important to look at what those changes are. Contributions Previously, you could make contributions to your traditional IRA until age 70 ½. Now, you can make those contributions indefinitely. This also means that you don’t have to take your required minimum distributions (RMDs) until age 72. The implications could be an increase in taxes, for two reasons: * Your account has more time to grow. While growth is good, this also raises your tax liability.* That two-year window (or more) gives room for tax brackets to change, and it’s more likely that taxes will increase than decrease. So if you’re taking a higher distribution, and the taxes increase, the tax hit could feel even greater. Part-time Workers Get 401(k) Options In the past, part-time workers were not eligible for 401(k) plans. Now, the Secure Act has created a provision for long-term part-timers to make contributions to a 401(k). This broadens the scope of who is eligible for government-sponsored retirement plans, which could entice more people to participate.  Those who are eligible? Anyone who works 1,000 hours in a year, or who has worked 500 hours a year for three consecutive years.  Tax Breaks The Secure Act also rolled in some tax breaks, many specifically for businesses. One of the bigger breaks is for businesses who set up automatic enrollments for employees. This means that rather than opting into a 401(k) plan,