Time to Consider a Roth?

1040 form and IRS logoWith interest rates close to zero and a newly received refund check in hand, you may wish to consider a contribution to a Roth IRA.

The Roth IRA basics

Using after-tax funds, you can contribute up to $5,500 each year in a Roth IRA. If you are at least 50 years old, you can contribute an additional $1,000. As long as your Roth IRA has been open for 5 years or more and your withdrawal of earnings occurs after 59½ years old, any earnings you receive from this account are yours tax-free.

1 Tax-free earnings. Unlike other retirement accounts, Roth IRA earnings are not taxed by the Federal government when withdrawn.
2 Keep contributing. Most other retirement accounts have a contribution age limit of 70½. When you reach this age you not only need to stop contributing to the account, but you are required to make a minimum withdrawal from the account each year. These limits do not exist for Roth IRA accountholders.
3 You can withdraw your contributions. Remember with a Roth IRA, your contributions were already taxed. So there is no penalty for withdrawing these funds. Just remember there can be a penalty for withdrawing any earnings before you reach age 59½ or before having the account for five years.

There are limits

If you earn more than $132,000 (single) or $194,000 (married filing joint) you are not allowed to make a Roth Contribution in 2016. You can, however, convert funds from a traditional IRA without these income limitations.

The IRS is Not Always Right

Quotes from actual IRS correspondence received by clients:

“Our records show we received a 1040X…for the tax year listed above. We’re sorry but we cannot find it.”
“Our records show you owe a balance due of $0.00. If we do not receive it within 30 days, appropriate collection steps will be taken”.
“Payment is due on your account. Please submit payments on or before June 31st to avoid late payment penalties and interest.”

IRS mistakesIt’s pretty tough to pay a balance due of $0 on June 31st when June only has 30 days. The message should be clear. If you receive a notice from the IRS do not automatically assume it is correct and submit payment to make it go away. The same is true for any state notices. They are often in error. So what should you do?

Bullet Item Stay calm. Try not to overreact to the correspondence. This is easier said than done, but remember the IRS sends out millions of notices each year. The vast majority of them correct simple oversights or common filing errors.
Bullet Item Open the envelope. You would be surprised at how often clients are so stressed by receiving a letter from the IRS that they cannot bear to open the envelope. If you fall into this category try to remember that the first step in making the problem go away is to open the correspondence.
Bullet Item Careful review. Review the letter. Make sure you understand exactly what the IRS thinks needs to be changed and determine whether or not you agree with their findings. Unfortunately, the IRS rarely sends correspondence to correct an oversight in your favor, but it sometimes happens.
Bullet Item Respond timely. The correspondence received should be very clear about what action the IRS believes you should take and within what timeframe. Ignore this information at your own risk. Delays in responses could generate penalties and additional interest payments.
Bullet Item Get help. You are not alone. Getting assistance from someone who deals with this all the time makes going through the process much smoother.
Bullet Item Correct the IRS error. Once the problem is understood, a clearly written response with copies of documentation will cure most of these IRS correspondence errors. Often the error is due to the inability of the IRS computers to conduct a simple reporting match. Pointing the information out on your tax return might be all it takes to solve the problem.
Bullet Item Certified mail is your friend. Any responses to the IRS should be sent via certified mail. This will provide proof of your timely correspondence. Lost mail can lead to delays, penalties, and additional interest on your tax bill.
Bullet Item Don’t assume it will go away. Until a definitive confirmation that the problem has been resolved is received, you need to assume the IRS still thinks you owe the money. If no correspondence confirming the correction is received, a written follow-up will be required.

Protecting Your Social Security Number

Social Security card

Very few things in life can create a higher degree of stress and hassle than having your Social Security Number (SSN) stolen. This is because, unlike other forms of ID, the SSN is virtually permanent. While most instances of SSN theft are outside your control, there are some things that you can do to minimize the risk of this ever happening to you.

Bullet Item

Never carry your card. Place your SSN card in a safe place. That place is never your wallet or purse. Only take the card with you when you need it.
Bullet Item Know who needs it. As identity theft becomes more of a problem, there are fewer who really need to know your Social Security Number. Here is that list.

Bullet Item The government. The federal and state governments use this number to keep track of your earnings for retirement benefits and to ensure you pay proper taxes.
Bullet Item Your employer. The SSN is used to keep track of your wages and withholdings. It also is used to prove citizenship and to contribute to your Social Security and Medicare accounts.
Bullet Item Certain financial institutions. Your SSN is used by various financial institutions to prove citizenship, open bank accounts, provide loans, establish other forms of credit, and report on your credit history.
Bullet Item Know who really does not need it. Many other vendors may ask for your Social Security Number, but having it is not an essential requirement. The most common requests come from health care providers and insurance companies. But the request for your number may come from anyone who wishes to collect an unpaid bill. When asked on a form for your number, leave it blank. Challenge the provider if it is requested.
Bullet Item Destroy and distort. Shred any documents that have your SSN listed. When providing copies of your tax return to anyone, distort or cover your SSN. Remember your SSN is printed on the top of each page of Form 1040. If the government requests your SSN on a check payment, only place the last four digits on the check. Prefill the first five digits with X’s.
Bullet Item Keep your scammer alert on high. Never give out your SSN over the phone or via e-mail. Do not even confirm your SSN to someone who happens to read it back to you on the phone. If this happens to you, file a police report and report the theft to the IRS and Federal Trade Commission.
Bullet Item Proactively check for use. Periodically check your credit reports for potential use of your SSN. If suspicious activity is found, have the credit agencies place a fraud alert on your account. Remember, everyone is entitled to a free credit report once a year. You can obtain yours at www.annualcreditreport.com

Replacing a stolen SSN is not only hard to do, it can create problems. You will need to re-establish your credit history, reassign your SSN benefits history, and realign your tax records. Your best defense is to stop the theft before it happens.