February is time to show your Retirement Planning some Love❤️.
The Secure Act and your RMD🎂
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement or SECURE act was signed into law on December 20, 2019, becoming effective January 1, 2020. The law provides important changes for individuals and small businesses to consider in their retirement, estate and tax planning.
The SECURE act moves the age at which a retirement account owner must begin to withdraw from their account from 70½ to 72 years of age. The account owner will need to take an RMD from each of their qualified retirement accounts by April 1 of the following year.
What it means: Individuals are able to defer taking distributions from their qualified retirement accounts for an additional 18 months.
The fine print: For those between the ages of 70½ and 72, there is no grandfather clause.
Case study: Who has to take distributions in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Note: All individuals and situations cited in this case are fictional and for illustration purposes only.
Example 1: Sam’s birthday is June 30, 1949. He turned 70 in 2019 and 70 ½ on December 30, 2019. He is the youngest person to whom the old rules apply. Sam, and everyone older than Sam, are required to take an RMD beginning in 2019 and must do so by April 1, 2020. Sam is also required to take a distribution for every year thereafter, meaning 2020, 2021, ….
Example 2: Sandy’s birthday is one day later than Sam, July 1, 1949. Under the new law, she is required to take a distribution from her qualified retirement accounts the year she turns 72 or 2021. Sandy will have until April 1 of 2022, to take the distribution(s) for 2021 and she will be required to take an RMD from her retirement accounts every year following 2021. She needs to be aware that if she does wait until 2022 to take the first distribution, she will be required to take a second distribution that same year (2022).
To read more, see our previous blog, 10 Answers You Need Before Planning for Retirement.
This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor
Financial planning and investment advice offered through Affinia Financial Group, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Special Needs Financial Planning LLC, Affinia Financial Group, LLC and LPL Financial are separate entities..