How to Keep Giving After We Are Gone – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

Americans are a generous people, giving of our time and resources through donations and volunteering. However, according to the article “Charitable conundrum: Why do we give up on giving at death?” from the Austin Business Journal, less than one out of nine individuals include a charitable donation as part of their estate plan.

Why do we stop giving at death? We know that the causes we care about continue to work after we are gone. There are many reasons for this, but perhaps the biggest reason behind his omission is that we tend to avoid estate planning. It’s an emotional challenge, preparing in a very real way to leave the world we enjoy with our loved ones. It’s not as much fun as going fly fishing or playing with the grandchildren.

Here are a few ways to include charitable giving in your estate plan, even when you aren’t having your estate plan created or reviewed.

Charitable beneficiaries. You can make a charity a partial beneficiary of a retirement account. They can be added as a primary beneficiary or as a contingent beneficiary. These changes can be made simply by contacting the custodian of the account and following their instructions for changing beneficiaries. Note that in certain states, spousal approval is required for any beneficiary changes. You can use this opportunity to also update your beneficiaries.

There’s a tax benefit in doing this. Charitable beneficiaries do not have to pay income tax on retirement distributions, although individuals do. Depending on the income level of an individual beneficiary, an heir could lose more than 40% of the inherited retirement account to state and local taxes.

The addition of a charitable beneficiary may restrict the ability for family members to stretch the receipt of retirement assets over time. Check with your estate planning attorney to make sure your good deed does not cause a hardship for family members.

Create a charitable IRA of your own. Another way to use retirement funds for a donation, is to roll some assets out of a main retirement account into a smaller retirement account with only charitable beneficiaries. Instead of consolidating accounts, you are doing the opposite, but for a good reason. This will allow you to manage the amount of money being left to the charity and take required or discretionary distributions from whichever account you choose.

Life insurance and annuities. Both of these vehicles use beneficiary designations, so the same strategy can be used for these accounts. Typically, the annuity must still be in the deferral state—not annuitized—and the life insurance contract must allow for changes to be made to the beneficiaries, which is true for most accounts. Note that life insurance proceeds are non-taxable to individuals and charities and annuity proceeds are generally partially tax-free to individual heirs (amount of basis in the contract).

Talk with your estate planning attorney about the optimal strategies for making charitable giving part of your estate plan. Your situation may differ and there may be other ways to maximize the wealth that is shared with charities and with your family.

Reference: Austin Business Journal (October 2, 2019) “Charitable conundrum: Why do we give up on giving at death?”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys

What Do I Do With an Inherited IRA? – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

When a family member dies and you discover you’re the beneficiary of a retirement account, you’ll need to eventually make decisions about how to handle the money in the IRA that you will be inheriting.

Forbes’ recent article, “What You Need To Know About Inheriting An IRA,” says that being proactive and making informed decisions can help you reach your personal financial goals much more quickly and efficiently. However, the wrong choices may result in you forfeiting a big chunk of your inheritance to taxes and perhaps IRS penalties.

Assets transferred to a beneficiary aren’t required to go through probate. This includes retirement accounts like a 401(k), IRA, SEP-IRA and a Cash Balance Pension Plan. Here is some information on what you need to know, if you find yourself inheriting a beneficiary IRA.

Inheriting an IRA from a Spouse. The surviving spouse has three options when inheriting an IRA. You can simply withdraw the money, but you’ll pay significant taxes. The other options are more practical. You can remain as the beneficiary of the existing IRA or move the assets to a retirement account in your name. Most people just move the money into an IRA in their own name. If you’re planning on using the money now, leave it in a beneficiary IRA. You must comply with the same rules as children, siblings or other named beneficiaries, when making a withdrawal from the account. You can avoid the 10% penalty, but not taxation of withdrawals.

Inheriting an IRA from a Non-Spouse. You won’t be able to transfer this money into your own retirement account in your name alone. To keep the tax benefits of the account, you will need to create an Inherited IRA For Benefit of (FBO) your name. Then you can transfer assets from the original account to your beneficiary IRA. You won’t be able to make new contributions to an Inherited IRA. Regardless of your age, you’ll need to begin taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from the new account by December 31st of the year following the original owner’s death.

The Three Distribution Options for a Non-Spouse Inherited IRA. Inherited IRAs come with a few options for distributions. You can take a lump-sum distribution. You’ll owe taxes on the entire amount, but there won’t be a 10% penalty. Next, you can take distributions from an Inherited IRA with the five-year distribution method, which will help you avoid RMDs each year on your Inherited IRA. However, you’ll need to have removed all of the money from the Inherited IRA by the end of five years.

For most people, the most tax-efficient option is to set up minimum withdrawals based on your own life expectancy. If the original owner was older than you, your required withdrawals would be based on the IRS Single Life Expectancy Table for Inherited IRAs. Going with this option, lets you take a lump sum later or withdraw all the money over five years if you want to in the future. Most of us want to enjoy tax deferral within the inherited IRA for as long as permitted under IRS rules. Spouses who inherit IRAs also have an advantage when it comes to required minimum distributions on beneficiary IRAs: they can base the RMD on their own age or their deceased spouse’s age.

When an Inherited IRA has Multiple Beneficiaries. If this is the case, each person must create his or her own inherited IRA account. The RMDs will be unique for each new account based on that beneficiary’s age. The big exception is when the assets haven’t been separated by the December 31st deadline. In that case, the RMDs will be based on the oldest beneficiaries’ age and will be based on this until the funds are eventually distributed into each beneficiary’s own accounts.

Inherited Roth IRAs. A Roth IRA isn’t subject to required minimum distributions for the original account owner. When a surviving spouse inherits a ROTH IRA, he or she doesn’t have to take RMDs, assuming they retitle the account or transfer the funds into an existing Roth in their own name. However, the rules are not the same for non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit a Roth. They must take distributions from the Roth IRA they inherit using one of the three methods described above (a lump sum, The Five-Year Rule, or life expectancy). If the money has been in the Roth for at least five years, withdrawal from the inherited ROTH IRA will be tax-free. This is why inheriting money in a Roth is better than the same amount in an inherited Traditional IRA or 401(k).

Speak with an experienced estate planning attorney about an Inherited IRA. The rules can be confusing, and the penalties can be costly.

Reference: Forbes (September 19, 2019) “What You Need To Know About Inheriting An IRA”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys

Here’s What You May Not Know About Roth IRAs – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

There is a lot that most people don’t know about Roth IRAs, as detailed in the article “9 Surprising Facts About Roth IRAs” from the balance. Some of them may surprise you.

Roth IRA contributions can be used for emergencies. In a perfect world, no one would ever need to use retirement money for anything but retirement, but because Roth contributions are not deductible, they can be withdrawn at any time, for any reason, without taxes or penalties. A Roth IRA can serve as an emergency fund. However, it needs to be noted that the funds you can withdraw do not include amounts that were converted to a Roth IRA or investment gains. Therefore, if you put $5,000 into a Roth IRA that grew to $6,000, you may only withdraw the $5,000 without taxes and penalties.

You might be able to use a non-deductible IRA to fund a Roth. If you make over a certain limit, you can’t contribute to a Roth IRA—or can you? Some people who keep other retirement money inside qualified retirement accounts are permitted to make a non-deductible IRA contribution every year and then convert that into a Roth. This is sometimes called the “backdoor Roth.” However, you’ll need to be careful, and you may need help. In some cases, you can even roll a self-directed IRA back into a company plan, so in future years you could use the backdoor Roth strategy without having to pay taxes on the converted amount. Get a professional to help you with this: mistakes can be expensive!

You may roll after-tax 401(k) contributions into a Roth IRA. Many employer plans let you make after-tax contributions and then, at retirement, these after-tax contributions can be rolled into a Roth IRA. Any investment gain on the after-tax contributions can’t go into the Roth, but the contributions can.

Roth IRAs have no RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions). There aren’t any age requirements for when you take money out, so there are no delayed tax bombs lurking. However, non-spouse heirs will have to take required distributions from an inherited Roth. The nice thing: they will be tax free.

You can contribute to both a SIMPLE IRA and a Roth IRA. As long as your income is within the Roth IRA limits, then you can contribute to both the SIMPLE and the Roth. The contributions to the SIMPLE IRA will be deductible, the Roth contributions will not be. This dual funding strategy lets you reduce taxable income now and have funds in the Roth accumulate for tax-free benefits in retirement. For the self-employed person, who is diligent about saving for retirement, this is a good plan.

Your employer plan may allow Roth contributions. Many 401(k) plans let you make Roth contributions. They are called “designated Roth accounts.” Check with your HR department to see if their plan let you choose which type of contribution to make. Some may be all or nothing, while others let you do some of each.

Age is not the key factor in determining whether or not to use a Roth IRA. The primary deciding factor here is your income bracket, your tax rate now and your expected tax rate during retirement. If your expected tax rate during retirement will be lower, the deductible contributions may be better. If your tax rate during retirement is going to be the same or higher in retirement, which is often the case for people with large IRAs or 401(k)s, then a Roth IRA may make a lot of sense, regardless of your age.

You might be able to make a spousal Roth contribution. Even if your spouse has no earned income, as long as you have an earned income, you can make an IRA contribution on their behalf. Many couples can double their tax favored retirement account savings by doing this.

Be careful about Roth conversions. As stated previously, mistakes here can become expensive, so don’t rely on online Roth calculators to manage conversions. Talk with an experienced professional who can help make sure that your numbers and your strategy fits with your personal retirement scenario. Every person and every situation is different, so planning needs to be specific to your needs.

Reference: the balance (August 13, 2019) “9 Surprising Facts About Roth IRAs”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys

You’ve Received an Inheritance. Now What? – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

Inheriting money puts a whole new spin on your outlook on money, says The Kansas City Star in its article “Coming into some money? Be wise with it.”

Should you pay off your debts first, if you have any? Make a list of your debt balances and their interest rates. If the interest rate is high, you may want to pay it off. If it’s low, you may be better off investing the funds.

Next, check on your emergency fund. If you don’t have three to six months’ worth of living expenses on hand, you can use your inheritance to ramp up that fund. Yes, you can use credit cards sometimes. However, having at least two months’ worth of living expenses in cash is worthwhile.

Another option is to contribute some money to a health savings account (HSA), if your employer does not contribute to it and if you have a qualifying health plan. That’s $3,500 if you are single, $7,000 for families and add $1,000, if you are over 55. This gets you a nice tax deduction and withdrawals are tax-free, as long as they are used for qualified medical expenses.

If you’re still working, and depending upon the size of the inheritance, it might be time to “tax-shift” your portfolio.

Let’s say you regularly contribute $3,000 to a 401(k). You can increase that amount by $22,000, to the maximum, if you’re 50 and older. Since your paycheck decreases, so does your tax. If your tax rate is currently 22%, you’ll only need to add $17,160 from your inherited account to reach the same spendable dollars. The tax-deferred account in your portfolio will grow faster while the taxable account shrinks.

Think about whether to commingle funds with your significant other or not. Let’s say you and your spouse have a retirement portfolio. You both can spend it now, maybe on your house. The inheritance may also help you to retire earlier. If you save the inheritance, keeping it in a separate account with only your name on it, it remains your asset, in case of a divorce. Most states will consider this money a non-marital asset, and not subject to division between divorcing parties.

Consider using the inheritance as a way to avoiding tapping into retirement accounts. Withdrawals from IRAs are taxable. If you’re not worried about commingling funds or investment gains, then you can use the inherited account to minimize the tax losses from retirement accounts.

Most people don’t have enough saved to keep spending during retirement as they did while working. Skip the spending spree that often follows an inheritance and enjoy the money over an extended period of time.

Receiving an inheritance is one of the times when a review of your estate plan becomes a wise move. A new financial position may require more tax planning and more legacy planning.

Reference: The Kansas City Star (June 27, 2019) “Coming into some money? Be wise with it”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys

Stretch IRA May be Disappearing Soon – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

Short of calling your representatives in Congress and hollering, there’s not much any of us can do about a proposed change to the rules that govern IRAs, reports nj.com in the article “Your kid’s inheritance could take a giant tax hit if these bills become law. Thanks, Congress.”

For years, non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit IRAs have had the ability to stretch out required distributions over their lifetimes. That meant that inherited IRAs could stay safe and sound out of the IRS’s reach, except for annual distributions that were quite small. If a grandchild inherited the IRA, the wealth stretched even further.

Depending on the final details of the legislation, the only people who will be able stretch an IRA will be spouses.

Current rules require non-spouse beneficiaries to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) every year over the course of their life expectancy, as per the IRS life expectancy tables. Because they are taken over the lifetime of a younger beneficiary, they can be small. This means the impact of the distribution on the individual’s income taxes are minimal and the IRA can grow tax deferred over a long period of time.

Congress is looking for revenue and the wealth of Americans in IRA accounts is in their sight lines.

First, the House passed the SECURE Act, which says that beneficiaries must completely empty their inherited IRAs within 10 years of ownership. The Senate then passed the RESA Act, which is a little different. It would allow a stretch for the first $450,000 of aggregated IRAs, then anything over that would have to be distributed within five years.

Both bills call for changes to apply to inherited IRAs and inherited Roth IRAs for deaths after December 31, 2019. What’s the bottom line? The Joint Committee on Taxation expects that these changes, if they become law, will yield $15.7 billion—with a “B”—in additional tax revenue through 2029.

The government would eventually get this money anyway, but this speeds things up considerably.

Let’s compare and contrast. An 80-year old woman has a traditional IRA worth $1 million. She dies and her 55-year-old daughter is the primary beneficiary. Under the current rules, the daughter’s first RMD is roughly $35,000. If the 25-year-old granddaughter was the beneficiary, the RMD would be roughly $18,000.

If the account earns an average of 5% annually, under the current rule, the granddaughter would have distributions of some $220,000 over ten years. If she had ten years to take the money out, she’d have about $1.3 million in distribution. Under the current rule, the account would have a $1.3 million balance after ten years, since the principal would continue to appreciate. Under the proposed rules, after ten years, it would be zeroed out.

The forced larger distributions will push heirs into higher income tax brackets. That will be followed by increased Medicare premiums, as heirs retire with higher income. Add to that: higher capital gains rate, from as low as zero to as high as 20%. If that’s not bad enough, it could also trigger the 3.8% net Investment Income tax.

One option is to move funds from a regular IRA to a Roth IRA, assuming the investor meets all the requirements to do so. The Roth IRA distributions would not be taxable (unless those laws change) but that also requires the current owner to pay taxes on funds moved to the Roth IRA.

Another option is to consider a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) that names a charity as the IRA beneficiary. Upon the death of the owner, the IRA is distributed to the CRT, and the IRA owner’s heir would receive a fixed percentage of the CRT’s value for the remainder of their lives. When the heir dies, the money in the CRT goes to a charity or charities designated by the IRA owner, when the trust was created.

For now, these are proposed pieces of legislation, but chances are good they will be passed soon. Now is a good time to meet with your estate planning attorney to do what you can to protect your IRA and your children’s inheritance.

Reference: nj.com (June 10, 2019) “Your kid’s inheritance could take a giant tax hit if these bills become law. Thanks, Congress”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys

Retirement Minimum Distribution (RMDs) Fundamentals – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

Most people don’t know the rules about required minimum distributions. Also known as “RMDs,” these are the rules that require investors to make withdrawals from their retirement accounts the year that they turn 70½. However, says Forbes in the article “5 Things to Know About RMDs,” these withdrawals can have a major impact on cash flow, taxes and financial planning during retirement. They are legally required to be taken, even if you don’t need them.

If the RMD is not taken at the correct age, there will be a 50% tax on the amount that should have been withdrawn. Add to that the amount of regular income tax on the sum of money withdrawn, and you have an expensive mistake.

There are ways to soften the impact of RMDs. However, you have to know the rules before you can create your strategy. Having a game plan for RMDs will help save the money you saved for many years, and allow that retirement nest egg more time to grow.

Note that there may be some changes coming as a result of the SECURE Act and the RESA Act, if approved.

Distribution rules that you need to know. The year you mark your 70½ birthday, that is, six months after you turn 70, you have to start taking RMDs from retirement accounts, including 401(k)s. That rule does not apply to Roth IRAs, which generally do not have any RMDs, until the owner dies.

The exception is if you are still working at a company and participating in the company’s 401(k) plan. If that is the case, you may want to roll over all your previous eligible savings into that account, to delay taking an RMD. However, there are also exceptions to this rule. They depend on your ownership stake in the company, so speak with an estate planning attorney to be sure what the requirements are for your situation.

While you’re at it, make sure that the beneficiaries listed on your accounts are correctly documented. If it’s been more than a few years since you last reviewed your beneficiaries, there may be some time bombs hidden in your IRA accounts. Divorce, death and changes of circumstances may make it necessary for you to change your beneficiaries. Do it now, while it’s on your mind. Once you die, there’s no recourse for your heirs.

When do I take my first RMD? RMDs must be taken by December 31st of each calendar year. However, the first RMD must be taken for the year in which you turn 70½. You can delay that payment until April of the following year. If you end up taking two big distributions, will it throw your tax planning off? Will you be bumped into a higher tax bracket? This is why you need to plan your RMD out carefully. It may be better for your overall situation to take the RMD, as soon as you are eligible.

Accuracy counts. You can’t rely on an online calculator, since the rules are not one size fits all. Let’s say your spouse is ten years younger than you and is your sole beneficiary. You’ll need to use the Joint Life and Last Survivor Table. There’s also the Uniform Lifetime Table, but that doesn’t apply here. Check with professionals to be sure you are taking the right amount.

Where does your RMD come from? Even if 70½ is a few years away, it’s good to have a plan for how RMDs will impact the distribution of your investment portfolio. You have options, so you want to make a good choice. For example, do you want distributions to be made in proportion to the percentage of each of your holdings in your portfolio? Let’s say 40% of your retirement investment is in short-term bonds, then you would take out 40% from your investment holdings. Or do you want to take a percentage from specific holdings?

What about charitable giving? Once you turn 70 ½, you can directly transfer funds from a traditional IRA to a charity, which can reduce your tax burden. However, this must be done properly, directly to the charity.

The rules of RMD are complicated, and mistakes can be expensive. Think about your strategy early on, to make sure it’s done right.

Reference: Forbes (May 14, 2019) “5 Things to Know About RMDs”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys

Are Inheritances Taxable? – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

Inheritances come in all sizes and shapes. People inherit financial accounts, real estate, jewelry and personal items. However, whatever kind of inheritance you have, you’ll want to understand exactly what, if any, taxes might be due, advises the article “Will I Pay Taxes on My Inheritance” from Orange Town News. An inheritance might have an impact on Medicare premiums, or financial aid eligibility for a college age child. Let’s look at the different assets and how they may impact a family’s tax liability.

Bank Savings Accounts or CDs. As long as the cash inherited is not from a retirement account, there are no federal taxes due. The IRS does not impose a federal inheritance tax. However, there are some states, including Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, that do have an inheritance tax. Speak with an estate planning attorney about this tax.

Primary Residence or Other Real Estate. Inheriting a home is not a taxable event. However, once you take ownership and sell the home or other property, there will be taxes due on any gains. The value of the home or property is established on the day of death. If you inherit a home valued at death at $250,000 and you sell it a year later for $275,000, you’ll have to declare a long-term capital gain and pay taxes on the $25,000 gain. The cost-basis is determined when you take ownership.

Life Insurance Proceeds. Life insurance proceeds are not taxable, nor are they reported as income by the beneficiaries. There are exceptions: if interest is earned, which can happen when receipt of the proceeds is delayed, that is reportable. The beneficiary will receive a Form 1099-INT and that interest is taxable by the state and federal tax agencies. If the proceeds from the life insurance policy are transferred to an individual as part of an arrangement before the insured’s death, they are also fully taxable.

Retirement Accounts: 401(k) and IRA. Distributions from an inherited traditional IRA are taxable, just as they are for non-inherited IRAs. Distributions from an inherited Roth IRA are not taxable, unless the Roth was established within the past five years.

There are some changes coming to retirement accounts because of pending legislation, so it will be important to check on this with your estate planning attorney. Inherited 401(k) plans are or eventually will be taxable, but the tax rate depends upon the rules of the 401(k) plan. Many 401(k) plans require a lump-sum distribution upon the death of the owner. The surviving spouse is permitted to roll the 401(k) into an IRA, but if the beneficiary is not a spouse, they may have to take the lump-sum payment and pay the resulting taxes.

Stocks. Generally, when stocks or funds are sold, capital gains taxes are paid on any gains that occurred during the period of ownership. When stock is inherited, the cost basis is based on the fair market value of the stock or fund at the date of death.

Artwork and Jewelry. Collectibles, artwork, or jewelry that is inherited and sold will incur a tax on the net gain of the sale. There is a 28% capital gains tax rate, compared to a 15% to 20% capital gains tax rate that applies to most capital assets. The value is based on the value at the date of death or the alternate valuation date. This asset class includes anything that is considered an item worth collecting: rare stamps, books, fine art, antiques and coin collections fall into this category.

Speak with an estate planning attorney before signing and accepting an inheritance, so you’ll know what kind of tax liability comes with the inheritance. Take your time. Most people are advised to wait about a year before making any big financial decisions after a loss.

Reference: Orange Town News (May 29, 2019) “Will I Pay Taxes on My Inheritance”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys 

Worried about a Spouse Needing Nursing Home Care? – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

The six-figure cost of nursing home care is worrisome for those who are married, when a spouse has to go to a nursing home. In the example above, Tom has had some major health issues in the past year and Louise is no longer able to care for him at home.

In this case, the couple live in Pennsylvania, where nursing home care statewide is $126,420 a year ($342.58 per day). The state has a Medical Assistance program that is a joint state-federal program that will pay for nursing facility care, if a person meets both the medical and financial criteria.

Tom has met one of the major Medical Assistance threshold requirements, because he is “nursing home facility clinically eligible,” which means that a doctor has certified that due to illness, injury or disability, Tom requires the level of care and services that can only be provided in a nursing home.

What will happen to their assets?

In 1988, Congress passed the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act, which created a process of allocating income and resources between a spouse who needs to live in an institutional setting and the spouse who can continue to remain in a community setting.

Tom and Louise’s resources are divided into two buckets: one that is exempt and the second that is non-exempt.

The family home, care, and cost of a pre-paid funeral, if that has been done, are exempt or non-countable assets.

Everything else, whether they own it together or individually, is considered non-exempt. In Pennsylvania, Louise’s IRA is the exception. However, that is not the same in every state.

Louise is entitled to keep one half of what they own, with a maximum of $126,420, as of January 1, 2019. This is her “community spouse resource allowance.”

Anything else they own, is used to pay for Tom’s nursing facility care or purchase a very select group of “exempt” assets, like a replacement car or the cost of a prepaid burial.

They would have needed to give away their resources at least five years preceding an application for Medical Assistance. If they have given money away in an attempt to preserve some of their assets, that would have changed the timeline for Tom’s being eligible for care.

Louise needs income to live on so that she is not impoverished. She is entitled to a monthly minimum maintenance needs allowance of $2,058 and a maximum needs allowance of $3,150.50. These numbers are federally adjusted and based on inflation.

The numbers that must be examined for Louise’s income are her Social Security benefits, Tom’s Social Security benefits, any pension either of the two may have and any other income sources. She can keep her income, as long as she does not go over a certain level.

Sounds scary? It is. This is why it is so important to do advance planning and have an ongoing working relationship with an attorney with experience in estate planning and elder law. There are changes over time to address the changing circumstances that life and aging presents.

Reference: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (April 29, 2019) “Married and concerned about one of you going to a nursing home?”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys