A recent article on Forbes by Bryan Ellis outlines the importance in making sure you understand self-directed IRA rules before you invest. Check out the excellent article and a quote from yours truly here. Also, Bryan has a significant amount of additional resources on his self-directed IRA website which you can access here.
How does the proposed Republican tax reform impact your retirement account? Well, if you save for education expenses for your kids or grand-kids using a Coverdell Education Savings Account, you’re not going to be happy as new contributions to Coverdell accounts are eliminated in the House Plan. Also, both House and Senate bills eliminate the ability to re-characterize Roth IRA conversions back to Traditional IRAs. This was a nice “do-over” the IRS allowed you to use if you regretted converting your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, and switched it back to a traditional IRA within certain time limitations. For my prior article on how a Roth IRA re-characterization works, at least for now, check it out here.
The only good news: It could’ve been worse. There was talk of drastic changes that would have essentially called an end to Traditional IRA and 401(k) contributions in favor of Roth-only contributions (or limiting Traditional dollars to $2,400 annually). Luckily, those ideas never made it into the legislation.
Here’s a brief summary of the two major changes effecting IRAs. In addition to the changes effecting IRAs, there are numerous proposals regarding employer retirement plans such as 401(k)s, but those changes only slightly alter the ways those plans function.
| Source | Change to IRAs | Effect |
| House Bill | No More Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) Contributions | Coverdell accounts are used as a vehicle to contribute funds (up to $2k annually per beneficiary) for education expenses. It is usually used by parents or grandparents as an account to invest the money tax-free whereby the money in the account grows without being subject to tax and comes out tax-free for the beneficiary’s education expenses. There is no deduction for the contribution. The current proposal would eliminate the ability to make future Coverdell contributions. Existing accounts may still exist without new contributions or may be rolled to a 529. |
| House Bill & Senate Amendment to Senate Bill | End Roth IRA Re-characterizations | Under current rules, you can convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, and if you later decide that such conversions (and tax due) wasn’t a good idea, you are allowed to undo the conversion and go back to a Traditional IRA. |
So what should you do now? If you’ve used Coverdell accounts or wanted to, make 2017 Coverdell contributions because they may be the last time you can do them. Also, if you’ve been thinking of converting a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, 2017 may be the last year you can do so, and still have the ability to re-characterize back to Traditional if you later decide against it.
The IRS announced new contribution amounts for retirement accounts in 2018, and there are some winners and losers in the bunch.
The biggest win goes to 401(k) owners, including Solo K owners, who saw employee contribution amounts go from $18,000 to $18,500. Health savings account (HSA) owners won a small victory with individual contribution maximums increasing $50 to $3,450 and family contribution amounts increasing by $150 to $6,900.
However, IRA owners lost with no increase in the maximum contribution amount for Traditional or Roth IRAs. The IRA maximum contribution amount remains at $5,500 and hasn’t increased since 2013.
Here’s a quick breakdown on the changes:
There were additional modest increases to defined benefit plans and to certain income phase-out rules. Please refer to the IRS announcement for more details here.
These accounts provide tax advantageous ways for an individual to either save for retirement or to pay for their medical expenses. If you’re looking for tax deductions, you should determine which of these accounts is best for you. Keep in mind there are qualifications and phase out rules that apply, so make sure you’re getting competent advice about which accounts should be set up in your specific situation.
There has been a significant increase in the amount of marketing directed towards IRA owners for non-publicly traded investments. Many of these investment sponsors and promoters are using marketing slogans like “IRS Approved” or “IRA Approved”. Don’t be fooled though, as the IRS does not review or approve investments, nor do they comment or issue statements on investments in an IRA. In fact, the IRS recently revised and updated IRS Publication 3125 titled, “The IRS Does Not Approve IRA Investments,” in an effort to inform IRA investors.
Yes, it’s true that a self-directed IRA can invest into real estate, LLCs, LPs, private stock, venture or hedge funds, start-ups and qualifying precious metals, among other things. However, just because you can invest in all of these assets doesn’t mean that you should. Make sure you’re investing your IRA into assets you are familiar with, and with persons and companies with whom you have thoroughly vetted. Non-publicly traded investments can be easier to understand and vet than a mutual fund prospectus, but you need to be careful when investing your funds with another person or when buying investments from third-parties who regularly sell to IRA owners using comforting, yet totally false, representations like “IRA Approved” or “IRS Approved.”
In Publication 3125, “The IRS Does Not Approve IRA Investments,” the IRS provided some guidelines for IRA owners to evaluate and protect their account from “IRA Approved Schemes.”
As a self-directed IRA investor, you are solely responsible for investment decisions, and as a result you must make certain that you understand the investments you are selecting and the associated risks. Beware of slogans and terms like “IRA Approved” or “IRS Approved,” as such slogans are just false. In addition to the consideration from the IRS above, I’ve previously written my own “Self Directed IRA Investment Due Diligence Top Ten List” which includes additional tips and questions to ask when investing your hard-earned retirement plan dollars with others.
Take the IRS guidelines and my Top Ten List into consideration when investing your IRA, but in the end, don’t be scared about investing into non-publicly traded investments. Rather, keep the risk and opportunities in perspective, and realize that you may need to get out of your comfort zone by asking pointed questions, demanding additional documentation, or simply saying “no.” Remember: You are the best person to protect your retirement.
Do you have tuition or other college expenses due for yourself, your spouse, or your child? Would you like to use your IRA to pay for these expenses? Would you like to avoid the 10% early withdrawal penalty for accessing your IRA funds before you are age 59 ½? This article outlines how you can avoid the 10% early withdrawal penalty when using your IRA to pay for higher education expenses.
Whether you should actually take a distribution from your IRA to pay for the higher education expenses of your child is another topic. Sadly, too many parents have raided their own retirement savings to pay for their children’s college education expenses. They then reach retirement age with a sliver of what savings or retirement accounts they could’ve otherwise relied on. Everyone’s situation and goals are unique but if you have decided to use IRA funds to help pay for educational expenses here’s how you can avoid the 10% penalty for accessing your own money.
Here’s a quick breakdown on how the 10% withdrawal penalty can be avoided when you use IRA funds to pay for qualifying higher education expenses.
Your IRA funds may be used for qualifying higher education expenses of the IRA owner, their spouse, children, and their descendants.
Any school eligible to participate in federal student aid programs qualifies. This would include public and private colleges as well as vocational schools. Any school where you, your spouse, or your child completed a FAFSA application will qualify.
There is a broad list of qualifying expenses. These include tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment. Also, room and board is included if the student is enrolled at least halftime.
The amount of your distribution that is exempt from tax is computed in three steps. First, determine the total qualifying expenses (tuition, fees, books, room and board, etc.) Second, reduce the qualifying expenses by any tax-free education expenses. These include Coverdell IRA distributions, federal grants (e.g. Pell grants), and any veterans or employer assistance received. Third, subtract and tax-free education assistance from the total qualifying expenses incurred and this gives you the total qualifying amount that you may take an early withdrawal from your IRA and avoid the 10% penalty.
Here’s a quick example to illustrate theses rules: You’re age 53 and have an IRA you’d like to access to help cover your daughter’s education expenses. Your daughter Jane is attending Harrison University, a private college that participates in federal student aid programs.
Her expenses for the year are as follows:
Jane received the following aid:
You decide to take a $10,000 withdrawal from your IRA. Since the total amount eligible is $29,600, the entire distribution will be penalty-free. Keep in mind that while the $10,000 distribution is penalty-free it is still included into the taxable income of the IRA owner.
For more details on the 10% early withdrawal exception for higher education expenses, refer to IRS Publication 970. Also, the above example presumes the IRA owner has a traditional IRA. If the IRA owner has a Roth IRA, there are different considerations and distribution rules.
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Mat is truly an expert on self directed IRAs, and his book is the one book that every self directed IRA investor should read.
"Mat's book is an excellent resource for self directed IRA owners and their advisors. It is the first of its kind in our industry.
Mat has truly written an“Authoritative Guide” for self directed IRAs."
"Mat is an excellent attorney, well versed in the Self-Directed IRA market...His ability to distill the complexities of the Self-Directed IRA
so that the average person can understand them, and ensure that they don't get "tripped up" is second to none.
"Mat’s book is the most practical and comprehensive self directed IRA guide in our industry. Reading this handbook should be the first step for any alternative asset investor, investment sponsor, or trusted advisor that seeks to become informed about how to maximize the value of IRAs."
"Mat's books is a great reference guide for self-directed IRA investing – Best I’ve seen in 30 years of being in the business."
"The Self Directed IRA Handbook by attorney Mat Sorensen is the most comprehensive book ever written about one of the
best investment and retirement savings tools ever created: the Self-Directed IRA."
Mat’s book is the most practical and comprehensive self directed IRA guide in our industry. Reading this handbook should be the first step for any alternative asset investor, investment sponsor, or trusted advisor that seeks to become informed about how to maximize the value of IRAs.
