Federal Government Looking for Ways to Get to Retirement Funds

Just when you thought your retirement account was safe from the federal government, think again. That’s’ because according to the Government Accountability Office, there are around 9,000 U.S. taxpayers who have a minimum of $5 million in an individual retirement account.
Now some lawmakers are taking a closer look at these accounts because as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden of Oregon puts it: “The IRA was never intended to be a tax shelter for millionaires.” According to the GAO report, these accounts are only possible for someone who has access to investments that are not available to most people or who has an aggressive investment strategy.
Meantime, there were an estimated 1,100 taxpayers that had more than $10 million in their IRAs as of 2001, according to the GAO report. Of those, 314 people had more than $25 million. On the other hand, that means that close to 99 percent of all people who have IRAs have less than $1 million in their accounts.
So what, if anything, is the government trying to do about these types of accounts? For starters, last year, President Obama introduced a proposal that would put limits on these kinds of accounts. Under his proposal no one would be able to add tax-favored contributions after their total account balances accumulated about 3.2 million. However, so far, the president’s proposal has not moved forward in Congress. It remains to be seen if other lawmakers will push harder for changes.
Top Tips for Planning a Successful Retirement
Top Tips for Planning a Successful Retirement Whether you already have one foot out the door, or you’re just starting your career, everyone should take the time to consider his or her retirement plan. It used to be that retirement was something you thought about when you turned 55, or maybe 45 at the earliest.…
Does Investing in Art Pay Off?
Many high-net-worth individuals have a strong interest in investing outside of the usual stock market. There are all kinds of things people can invest in, including luxury cars, real estate, horses, jewelry and of course artwork. The artwork is one of the most common collection items that the wealthy invest in and many high-net-worth individuals…
How The New Tax Law Directly Benefits Families
How The New Tax Law Directly Benefits Families Since December 22, 2017 there has been a flurry of news articles all talking about the same thing. Taxes. Well, rather the new tax law that just signed, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). One of the biggest winners of this new law is American families,…
How to Minimize Investment Taxes
How to Minimize Investment Taxes As an investor, your first priorities should be 1) to develop an asset allocation strategy that aligns with your investment objectives and risk profile, and 2) to select quality securities that support that strategy. Only after that’s done should you turn your attention to taxes and identify opportunities to improve…