IRAs

Although your contributions to a traditional IRA are labeled as “before-tax,” you have already paid Social Security taxes on them. On Form 1040, line 32, you can deduct a conventional IRA contribution as an adjustment to your income. This lowers your taxable income, but not any Social Security taxes withheld by your employer or any […]

In various ways, a Roth IRA varies from a standard IRA. Contributions to a Roth IRA aren’t tax deductible (and aren’t reported on your tax return), but qualifying distributions or distributions that are a return of contributions aren’t. The account or annuity must be labeled as a Roth IRA when it is set up to

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

In various ways, a Roth IRA varies from a standard IRA. Contributions to a Roth IRA aren’t tax deductible (and aren’t reported on your tax return), but qualifying distributions or distributions that are a return of contributions aren’t. The account or annuity must be labeled as a Roth IRA when it is set up to

Traditional IRA contributions should show up on your tax return in some way. Report the amount as a regular IRA deduction on Form 1040 or Form 1040A if you’re eligible. If you don’t claim a deduction because you don’t want to or because you’re covered by an employer plan and your AGI is too high,

Only if a distribution (withdrawal) was made during the year will a Form 1099-R be sent. This includes Traditional, Roth, and SEP IRAs. In May, you will receive a Form 5498 documenting any contributions (deposits) you made to your IRA account during the tax year. You will not receive tax paperwork for your retirement account

The goal of contributing to a Roth IRA is to save for the future, not to take advantage of a present tax break. Roth IRA contributions are not tax deductible in the year they are made because they are made using after-tax funds. That’s why, when you take the cash, you don’t have to pay

It depends on the type of IRA you have. If you (or your spouse) earn taxable income and are under the age of 70 1/2, you can contribute to a traditional IRA. However, your contributions are only tax deductible if you meet certain criteria. Who can contribute to a traditional IRA? has further information on

Even if IRA distributions are tax-free, they are always reported on your taxes. If you make nondeductible contributions to your traditional IRA, you must calculate the taxable and nontaxable portions using Form 8606. Otherwise, the entire sum is subject to taxation. In addition, if you make a taxable non-qualified withdrawal, you’ll need to use Form

Although Roth IRAs haven’t been around as long as other retirement accounts, they do have a feature that most other tax-favored retirement accounts lack. Roth IRAs don’t provide a tax break up front, but they do allow you to make tax-free withdrawals in retirement. That is, as long as you fulfill the eligibility requirements, Roth