ERISA does not stand for “Every Ridiculous Idea Since Adam,” contrary to popular belief. Instead, it stands for the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, which is an acronym. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal legislation that governs employer-sponsored retirement and health plans. (Because IRAs are not sponsored […]

Your contributions to your SIMPLE IRA are “pre-tax,” which means that no federal income tax is withheld until the money is deposited into the SIMPLE IRA. The contributions are not shown as earnings or other income on your W-2 form, and you do not record them as such on your annual tax return. Business partners […]

Contributions to a SIMPLE IRA are not subject to federal income tax withholding. Salary reduction contributions, on the other hand, are subject to social security, Medicare, and FUTA taxes. These taxes do not apply to matching and non-elective contributions. Employer contribution deductions must be reported. Contributions to a SIMPLE IRA plan can be deducted by […]

Your contributions to your SIMPLE IRA are “pre-tax,” which means that no federal income tax is withheld until the money is deposited into the SIMPLE IRA. The contributions are not shown as earnings or other income on your W-2 form, and you do not record them as such on your annual tax return. Business partners […]

Each eligible employee may contribute to a pay decrease, and the company must make one of the following contributions: Can contributions made under a SIMPLE IRA plan be made to any type of IRA? A SIMPLE IRA contribution can only be made to a SIMPLE IRA, not to any other type of IRA. What is […]

As an adjustment to income, you can deduct a portion of the self-employment tax you paid. As a result, even if you don’t itemize deductions, you can claim the deduction. Use Form 1040 to claim the deduction as an adjustment to your gross income. A new deduction was provided by the Small Business Jobs Act […]

Deposit accounts held in a regular or Roth IRA are insured by the FDIC and NCUA. Deposits in SEP-IRAs and SIMPLE-IRAs are also insured by the FDIC. For insurance purposes, the agencies treat all IRAs you own at a single financial institution as a single account. For example, if you owned $100,000 in a Roth […]

As an adjustment to income, you can deduct a portion of the self-employment tax you paid. As a result, even if you don’t itemize deductions, you can claim the deduction. Use Form 1040 to claim the deduction as an adjustment to your gross income. A new deduction was provided by the Small Business Jobs Act […]

If you expect to have a better income in retirement than you do today, a Roth IRA or 401(k) is the best option. A regular IRA or 401(k) is likely the better bet if you expect your income (and tax rate) to be lower in retirement than it is now. A typical IRA permits you […]

Contributions to a Roth IRA aren’t deductible, but gains grow tax-free, and eligible withdrawals are tax- and penalty-free. The requirements for withdrawing money from a Roth IRA and paying penalties vary based on your age, how long you’ve held the account, and other considerations. To avoid a 10% early withdrawal penalty, keep the following guidelines […]