401K Rules

Posted in: Tax Advantaged Investments

There are a number of 401k rules that must be followed when dealing with your 401k plan. 401k rules apply to contribution limits, loans, rollovers, withdrawals, and more. So, it's important that they are handled properly.

Your Complete Guide to Rolling Over Your 401(K) into an IRA

Posted in: Tax Advantaged Investments

Are you unhappy with your 401(K)? If you are like most people, then you too are very dissatisfied with your 401(K)'s investment options and high fees. This is exactly why so many people decide to move their money from a 401(K) to an IRA rollover as soon as they leave their job. Some people even elect to rollover eligible 401(K) balances even while they are working. The rollover process has a wide range of costly landmines for the uninformed. The steps can be extremely simple or extremely complex

Is Now the Time to Convert Your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA?

Posted in: Tax Advantaged Investments

With great adversity comes great opportunity. While nobody likes to see the account balances in their IRA drop 40% or more, the reduced value in your IRA may make it an opportune time to convert your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA since it will cost you much less in taxes than it would have in any of the past 4 years.

IRA Rollover to a Roth - Differences to Consider

Posted in: Tax Advantaged Investments

If you are considering converting a traditional IRA rollover to a Roth account, there are many different things to consider. So, let's get right to it.

Under the current tax code, your annual earning must be less than $100,000. That's your modified adjusted gross income. Details for figuring that amount are found in IRS form 8606. If you find that you do not qualify this year, don't be overly distressed. That limitation will be lifted in 2010, unless amendments to the law are made before that time. Congress can change the laws regarding retirement accounts at any time and that's one of the disadvantages of the Roth.

3 Strategies for Using Your IRA to Invest in Real Estate

Posted in: Financial Security, Real Estate, Tax Advantaged Investments

With real estate prices depressed and a lot of wealth sitting in qualified plans, you may wonder how you can use that wealth to invest in real estate. In this article I offer considerations and strategies for using your IRA to position yourself in real estate for your future benefit.

Are You Aware Of These Reasons To Rollover A 401k To An IRA?

Posted in: Tax Advantaged Investments

There are several reasons to rollover a 401k to an IRA, but the most common one is a job change. Generally, 401Ks are not transferrable from one company to another. Different 401Ks may be available, but people often choose simply to switch to IRAs, particularly if they are interested in self-directing.

The disadvantages of changing from 401Ks to IRAs include: Lower allowable annual contributions No employer contributions Even small business, with only a few employees, have taken to offering 401Ks, as recent changes in the tax laws made managing the accounts a little easier. Some self-employed people have opened 401Ks, as well.

What Type Of Account Can My Rollover IRA Be Put Into?

Posted in: Real Estate, Tax Advantaged Investments

There was a time when I needed to know; what type of account can my rollover IRA be put into. I was changing jobs and had a substantial amount in an employer-sponsored 401k. Like many of you, I was unaware of all of my options. There was a lot to learn. Here's a brief overview.

The Roth Account The idea of a Roth account appealed to me, because qualified distributions are never taxed. But, since my 401K contributions were automatically deducted from my paycheck and not subject to yearly income taxes, I had to be careful.

Why Use A Self-Directed Roth IRA for Real Estate Investing

Posted in: Financial Security, Real Estate, Tax Advantaged Investments

Have you ever thought of purchasing property solely for investment purposes? Not sure of what or how to do it? Or maybe you did or do not have the money or credit to do so. Did you know that you could use your IRA for this very purpose?

Although, you do need to have a 'self-directed IRA' and not a 'traditional IRA' to be able to invest in real estate. But what's even better, is the self-directed Roth IRA. A self-directed Roth IRA gives you the largest diversified portfolio possible with 100% control over investment decisions. The self-directed Roth IRA is like the Donald Trump of IRAs, it's an IRA on steroids. It totally rocks!

Common IRA Rollover Mistakes to Avoid

Posted in: Tax Advantaged Investments

If you don’t know the rules of the game, it’s easy to get fouled out, and when it comes to IRA Rollovers, those fouls can cost you big money if you are not careful. It’s inevitable, at some point or another we might ditch one provider, advisor or fund company for another. Or we may leave one job for a new one or simply retire. If you are planning to, or have already initiated an IRA Rollover, watch out for these common mistakes, because one misstep can cost you dearly.

7 Myths About the Self Directed Retirement Plan

Posted in: Tax Advantaged Investments

It’s unbelievable how many investors out there think that low return rates on retirement investments are inevitable. It’s actually quite easy to get higher returns from your retirement plan but you have to self-direct your account.