Category: Retirement

72% of female gray retirees didn’t view their engagement ring as a financial asset nor realize selling it could give them cash to invest and supplement their retirement savings.

_{*Building a Financial Fresh Start, Worthy.com}

Just as you allocate assets to a combination of stocks, bonds, cash, and other investments, you may want to consider allocating retirement assets among tax-deferred, tax-free, and taxable accounts for a potentially greater retirement income.

FIRST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TAX DEFERRAL

Like many Americans, you probably have most of your retirement savings in a traditional 401(k) or similar tax-deferred retirement plan. The benefits of tax-deferred plans have been proven time and time again. You save federal and possibly state income tax while contributing, and your contributions grow tax-deferred until you withdraw them at retirement when many people expect to be in a lower tax bracket.

But that’s the sticking point. If you’ve been successful in business, at retirement time, you may find that you aren’t in a lower tax bracket than you were when you were working. You could lose some of that tax-deferral advantage.

ADD TAX-FREE ACCOUNTS

With Roth 401(k) accounts and IRAs, you invest with after-tax dollars and gain no current tax benefit, but you’ll owe no income or capital gains tax on any withdrawals you make during retirement. Another tax-free vehicles to consider is municipal bonds, which offer income free from federal income tax and state income tax if they are issued in the state where you reside. However, the interest earned may be lower than possible with Roth accounts.

AND A DASH OF TAXABLE ACCOUNTS

Taxable accounts offer a wide range of investment choices, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. They also require you to invest with after-tax dollars and pay taxes every year on any income you earn or capital gains you realize.

As the old TV commercial said, “It’s not what you make, it’s what you keep.” Tax diversification can spell the difference between having income choices or having taxes force you to downgrade your lifestyle. Note: Tax diversification isn’t a DIY strategy. It requires a thorough understanding of tax codes and your overall financial situation.

There’s no better time than the beginning of a new year to review your retirement plan and, if possible, increase your contribution to the maximum allowed, if possible.

PRIORITIZE PLANS

Start by maximizing contributions to your business’s 401(k) or other company retirement savings plan.

Next up: IRA contributions, if you’re eligible. Start with traditional tax-deferred contributions. Then contribute to a Roth IRA. Mind income limits for IRA participation.

Consider a regular taxable brokerage account once you’ve exhausted tax-advantaged retirement accounts. You’ll have the flexibility to use those retirement funds whenever and however you choose.

CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTIONS

If you’re 50 or older, make catch-up contributions, if possible. An additional incentive to make maximum tax-deferred catch-up contributions to 401(k) Roth accounts in 2024 and 2025: The IRS delayed the SECURE 2.0 Act provision that prevents individuals earning over $145,000 from making pre-tax catch-up contributions to Roth 401(k) accounts until 2026.

This reprieve also gives you, as an employer, more time to implement the Roth 401(k) catch-up change and inform employees about this upcoming change.

Retirement is not a single event. It is a process that begins long before you leave work and continues for the rest of your life. Here are some tips on how to transition into retirement and beyond.

CONSOLIDATE AND SIMPLIFY

Consolidate your retirement accounts for simplicity. Combining accounts makes managing your money and seeing the big picture easier.

Fewer accounts mean fewer monthly or quarterly statements, fewer companies to notify if you move or want to change beneficiaries, and possibly lower costs. It can also make calculating RMDs easier.

EXAMINE THE NUMBERS

As you move away from working full-time, be sure your monthly and annual budgets are up to date. Include existing expenses that aren’t likely to change, such as groceries and utility bills.

Don’t forget to include new expenses you may incur in retirement. This includes healthcare costs your employer may have paid for or taxes when you withdraw from tax-deferred retirement accounts.

UPDATE YOUR PLANS

If it’s been a while since you’ve reviewed your estate planning documents, nearing retirement is a good time for a refresher.

While you may focus on ensuring your will and trust documents are up to date, don’t forget about your power of attorney, health care directives and guardian nominations.

If your retirement plans include relocating to a new state, consult an attorney in the new location to ensure your estate documents will be valid in that state. Having out-of-state documents can complicate trust and estate adminstration.

When you update your estate plan, remember to create a list of your accounts and assets and update that list as things change. It is not important to add a value to the account, as those change over time. Make sure to include the name and location of the account and the last four digits of the account number. It is one of the most important things you can do for your beneficiaries to avoid a time-consuming treasure hunt for your assets when you’re gone.

A well-thought-out plan for a comfortable retirement is important, even more so in a tough economy.

EXAMINE THE PAST

Start by looking at your spending habits for the last three years and determine if it’s sustainable for the next 20 years. Keeping in mind that most retirees take on a new hobby or activity that usually costs money. Travel, large home improvements, or restoring a classic car can cost thousands of dollars and stress your financial plan.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Plan to keep your portfolio diversified, and don’t try to time the market. Selling investments because they are down means you could miss out on a recovery. Stripping emotions out of financial decisions is vital but not always easy. If you’re not confident doing this on your own, work with your financial professional for guidance.

STAY FLEXIBLE

Spending in retirement requires flexibility. You may need to reduce your withdrawals when the market is slowing, but you can increase them when it recovers. Be sure to notice the warning signs of a slowing market, like rising interest rates and higher inflation.

With Social Security benefit payments increasing nearly 9% this year, you may need to rethink your retirement tax planning.

INCOME MATTERS

If you started working part-time to offset some of the recent price inflation, this increase in your Social Security payments might make some or more of it subject to federal income taxes. If you file as an individual and your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000, up to half of your benefit may be subject to income taxes. Social Security defines combined income as your adjusted gross income, plus nontaxable interest, plus one-half of your Social Security benefit.

CONSIDER A REDUCTION

With the possibility of being in a higher tax bracket this year, due to increased Social Security benefits, consider cutting back on withdrawals from your qualified retirement plans. If you can avoid taking more than your required minimum distribution (RMD) in 2023, you might be able to limit your tax liability.

If you need more than your RMD, consider pulling funds from a taxable brokerage account where you’ll pay the lower long-term capital gains rates if you held investments for more than a year.

Also consider qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA, a Roth 401(k), or a health savings account (HSA), which would not be subject to federal income tax and wouldn’t have an impact on how your Social Security benefit is taxed.

This year’s cost of living adjustment can help you keep up with higher prices. And in the short run, managing your withdrawals may help you smooth out the tax bumps during a period of high inflation.

Figuring out withdrawals from retirement and brokerage accounts can be complicated, so it may help to work with an advisor. But even if you do it yourself, try to withdraw from your Roth and HSA accounts last, allowing those assets to grow tax-free longer. Withdrawals from all three types of accounts in the same year can help manage combined taxable income.

As the fourth quarter of 2022 is upon us, you may consider providing annual bonus payouts to your employees. It’s a great way to thank them for their hard work.

Once you settle on the bonus amounts, consider notifying each employee before you make the payments to provide them with a choice as to how they prefer to receive the funds. They could choose to take it as regular income or invest it in their retirement account.

If your company already has a 401(k) plan, depositing their year-end bonus will function like any other payroll deductions you make on their behalf.

If your employee has already maxed out their 401(k) contributions for the year, you may be able to send their bonus to their IRA.