Safe Retirement Income

Your Retirement Depends on It

Tim Barton, Chartered Financial Consultant

Pepin Wisconsin
715-220-4866

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Roth IRA Enhancement

The Roth IRA may be one of the most under used retirement income strategies.  Due to the deductibility of other retirement saving plans like Traditional IRAs and the 401(k); Roth IRAs are usually just an afterthought. After all who does not want to pay as little income tax as possible?  It seems a very simple rational decision. Initially a Roth has no effect on the amount of income tax due because the taxpayer receives no immediate tax deduction.   

Today one of the most relevant retirement/tax planning question is –

Do you think tax rates are headed down, stay the same or will they go up in the future? 

Clearly if you feel tax rates are going rise at some point then the decision is to pay a smaller tax now or a bigger tax on a larger sum later.  A Roth IRA is worth serious consideration, especially if you consider an enhancement by utilizing available lifetime income options.  

The new generations of annuities offered today either have income options built in or offer the option to purchase a guaranteed lifetime income rider. Using either of these options the annuity owner has the ability to start lifetime income at a specified age. 

If retirement planning is being done correctly income points are identified.  These are points in time when a retiree needs to start an income stream.  

To help understand the magnitude of the enhanced Roth advantage let’s use a simple example.  A future retiree is currently 49, they start contributing to a Roth annuity with lifetime income available as early as age 59 ½. The Roth’s income benefit base has grown to $100,000 with an annual tax free lifetime payout of 5% available ($5,000).  Whether or not they actually plan to retire at this early date they should start the lifetime income payout.  Why?  Because the income is for life, the earlier it is started the greater chance they will live long enough to get into company money.  In other words they would receive all of their money, interest earned and then they receive company money for as long as they live.  If cost of living increases are built onto our $5,000 yearly income example so much the better.   

Besides, even if still working, who wouldn’t appreciate some additional tax free income every year after age 59 ½?

For help you may ask questions in the comments

Or click here to contact me privately: Tim Barton Chartered Financial Consultant

 

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4% Rule or a Lifetime Income Annuity

Outliving one’s assets is a major concern for today’s retirees. One common approach to address this concern has been the “4% rule,” which is a generally accepted rule of thumb in financial planning for retirement income. It says to withdraw no more than 4% of an asset in retirement annually, and then increase the withdrawn amount by 3% each year to help offset the effects of inflation. Many believe the 4% rule provides a strong likelihood for retirement assets to last 30 or more years.

One problem with the 4% rule is that it does NOT GUARANTEE you won’t run out of money. In fact, with today’s historic market volatility and longer life expectancies, it’s predicted that up to 18 out of 100 people WILL RUN OUT OF MONEY in retirement using the 4% rule.

What if there was a different strategy that could provide the same amount of retirement income as the 4% rule and might even require fewer assets to do so? Additionally, this strategy would protect your income from market loss and GUARANTEE that income would last throughout your lifetime.

This strategy exists today and can be implemented using a fixed index annuity with a guaranteed lifetime income benefit or a secure lifetime retirement income annuity.

For help you may ask questions in the comments

Or contact me privately here: Tim Barton Chartered Financial Consultant

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When You Change Jobs…You May Have an Important Decision to Make!

What to do with your money in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan. Since these funds were originally intended to help provide financial security during retirement, you need to carefully evaluate which of the following options will best ensure that these assets remain available to contribute to a financially-secure retirement.

Take the Funds: You can withdraw the funds in a lump sum and do what you please with them. This is, however, rarely a good idea unless you need the funds for an emergency.

Consider:
•A mandatory 20% federal income tax withholding will be subtracted from the lump sum you receive.
•You may have to pay additional federal (and possibly state) income tax on the lump sum distribution, depending on your tax bracket (and the distribution may put you in a higher bracket).
•Unless one of the exceptions is met, you may also have to pay a 10% premature distribution tax in addition to regular income tax.
•The funds will no longer benefit from the tax-deferred growth of a qualified retirement plan.

Leave the Funds:

You can leave the funds in your previous employer’s retirement plan, where they will continue to grow on a tax-deferred basis. If you’re satisfied with the investment performance/options available, this may be a good alternative. Leaving the funds temporarily while you explore the various options open to you may also be a good alternative. (Note: If your vested balance in the retirement plan is $5,000 or less, you may be required to take a lump-sum distribution.)

Roll the Funds Over:

You can take the funds from the plan and roll them over, either to your new employer’s retirement plan (assuming the plan accepts rollovers) or to a traditional IRA, where you have more control over investment decisions. This approach offers the advantages of preserving the funds for use in retirement, while enabling them to continue to grow on a tax-deferred basis.

Why Taking a Lump-Sum Distribution May Be a Bad Idea:

While a lump-sum distribution can be tempting, it can also cost you thousands of dollars in taxes, penalties and lost growth opportunities…money that will not be available for future use in retirement.

For help you may ask questions in the comments or contact me privately here: Tim Barton Chartered Financial Consultant

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What Do Pianos Have to Do With Annuities?

In the 1960s and 70s the nation’s largest keyboard company  Baldwin Piano & Organ Company began expanding into banking and insurance eventually creating a large conglomerate of financial services companies.  In 1977 Baldwin merged with United Corp., an investment company, and became Baldwin-United Corp.

Unfortunately for buyers, these contracts proved to be unsustainable and directly contributed to the bankruptcy of Baldwin-United in 1983.  In fact, the $9 billion in liabilities of Baldwin-United exceeded the combined debt of the four previous largest bankruptcies up to that point. 

In the 1983 the states of Indiana and Arkansas took over the majority of Baldwin-United’s assets and began the long process of rehabilitating the two insurance carriers and distributing assets to policyholders.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article companies

“betting they can wring more profit from annuity contracts” than traditional insurance companies.

Another article in Bloomberg Business Week quotes Benjamin Lawsky, New York State superintendent of financial services

 “Their focus is on maximizing their immediate financial returns, rather than ensuring that promised retirement benefits are there at the end of the day for policyholders,”

Important questions to ask about insurance companies you are considering doing business with.

  • Are they controlled by outside entities that don’t have an insurance background or experience?
  • Do they offer products with features and rates that are far above what the competition is offering?

 The lessons from the past should be kept in mind.

Properly managed insurance companies are among the safest places for your retirement dollars even in the example of Baldwin-United the state guaranty associations made the policyholders whole.  This process is time consuming so it wise to research companies you are considering.

 

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Why Are Taxes Due On A Roth After Age 59 ½ ?

This is a common question.  Many believe there are no income taxes due on Roth withdrawals after reaching that magic age of 59 ½.   However there are conditions on nontaxable withdrawals.  The IRS has rules that define a withdrawal as qualified distributions. Qualified distributions from a Roth IRA are received free of income tax and are not subject to the 10% premature withdrawal penalty tax.

Roth IRA distributions that do not meet the qualified distribution requirements will be included in income to the extent that the distribution represents earnings on Roth IRA contributions and may be subject to a 10% premature withdrawal penalty tax. 

Qualified distributions from a Roth IRA are not included in gross income and are not subject to the additional 10% penalty tax for premature distributions.

To be a tax-free qualified distribution:

  • The distribution must occur more than five years after the individual first contributed to the Roth IRA;  and
  • The individual must be at least 59-1/2 years old, disabled, deceased or the funds must be used to purchase a first home ($10,000 lifetime limit). 

There is no requirement that distributions from a Roth IRA begin by age 70-1/2.

Unlike regular IRAs, contributions to a Roth IRA can be made after age 70-1/2.

For help you may ask questions in the comments or contact me privately here: Tim Barton Chartered Financial Consultant

 

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Who Has More Retirement Confidence?

Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) recently surveyed retirees between the ages of 50-66 and found 53% who own annuities are extremely or very confident their retirement income will be enough and will stay secure throughout their retirements.  Interestingly of those who do not own annuities only 31% are confident about their retirement income.

Posted on September 4, 2012 by IALC

And not only are these consumers more confident, they are also satisfied with their annuity purchases. A recent LIMRA study found that 83% of fixed indexed annuity buyers reported being satisfied with their annuities and five in six would recommend annuities to others.

So what’s driving people to buy fixed annuities, in particular? Certainly the 2008 crash taught consumers that their foundations are not as sturdy as they once thought. So in order to regain a sense of stability they are looking for sources that provide some minimum guaranteed income. In fact, when asked about the intended uses for indexed annuities in another recent LIMRA survey, respondents’ top three responses involved retirement planning, including supplementing Social Security or pension income, accumulating assets for retirement, and receiving guaranteed lifetime income.

Note the annuities being discussed are fixed annuities which guarantee principal, interest and income. A variable annuity fluctuates with the equities in which it is invested and as a result provides no guarantees. A variable annuity should not be confused with a fixed annuity.

For help you may ask questions in the comments or contact me privately here: Tim Barton Chartered Financial Consultant

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A One in Five Chance of Retirement Failure?

Retirement planning has become all about the income, as in how much and for how long.  Last year the Journal of Financial Planning conducted extensive research into retirement portfolio withdrawal rates. They concluded the traditional 4% rule was too risky because it leaves a retiree with an 18% chance of portfolio failure; that’s about a one in five failure rate.   

Portfolio failure is another way saying “sorry your money is all gone”.  Very bad news to someone in their 70’s potentially looking at many more years of life by surviving only on Social Security each month.   

What is the new safe withdrawal rate?

  • 2.52% According to the Journal of Financial Planning.

Let’s be clear retirement money that is invested in equities; stock market, mutual funds, ETF, variable annuity etc. has an 18% chance of failure if the retiree withdraws more than 2.52% per year.

What is the solution? 

With interest rates hovering around 1% certainly not bonds or certificates of deposit. 

That leaves fixed annuities because they can insure a retirement income for life.  But their rates are also low and the income is sometimes level with no chance of increase. 

Enter the time tested fixed index annuity with income options.  An indexed annuity can offer a guaranteed withdrawal percentage increase, meaning each year you own an indexed annuity the percentage you can withdraw goes up; some as high as 7%.   

Let’s compare the recommended 2.52% equity withdrawal and 7% index annuity withdrawal using a nice round figure like $100,000.

2.52% of $100,000 in equities is $2520 per year.

Whereas the annuity’s 7% withdrawal is $7000 per year and this $7000 could go up each year if there is an index interest credit and once it goes up, it is guaranteed to stay up. 

The choices are:

  • Unsafe withdrawal using the antiquated 4% rule and risk running out of money 1 out of 5 times. ($4000 per year)
  • The new “safe” 2.52% rule ($2520 per year)
  • The insured, guaranteed 7% index annuity ($7000 per year)

Which would you prefer?

For help you may ask questions in the comments or contact me privately here:

Tim Barton

Chartered Financial Consultant

 

 

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My Retirement Budget is Being Squeezed: How does part time work affect Social Security Benefits?

Low yields on retirement savings and increasing costs are causing some retirees to consider part time or temporary work to make ends meet. 

If they work what happens to their Social Security benefit? 

Does it pay to work?

Continuing to work after you begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits may reduce the amount of those benefits ultimately available to support your retirement standard of living in two ways:

  1. Your earned income (wages and self-employment income) may cause your Social Security benefits to be subject to income tax. If your Social Security benefits are not currently exposed to income tax, you should evaluate whether your earned income will put you over the tax-free base amount of Social Security retirement benefits ($25,000 if single; $32,000 if married filing jointly).
  2. If you are between the ages of 62 and your full retirement age (age 66 in 2012), your 2012 Social Security benefits are reduced $1 for each $2 of your earned income in excess of the 2012 exempt amount of $14,640. The exempt amount is adjusted each year for inflation.

If you are receiving Social Security benefits and you have reached your full retirement age, there is no retirement earnings test for people who have reached their Social Security full retirement age (age 66 for people born between 1943 and 1954). Here’s how it works: 

  • In the year in which you reach full retirement age, $1 in benefits will be deducted for each $3 you earn above a specific annual limit ($38,880 in 2012), but only counting earnings before the month in which you reach the full benefit retirement age. 
  • Starting with the month in which you reach full retirement age (age 66 for people born between 1943 and 1954), you will receive the full Social Security retirement benefit to which you are entitled, without regard for or limit on your earnings.

Also keep in mind some annuity payments do not count as taxable income allowing a retiree who is receiving these payments to earn more in wages before triggering any of the Social Security earning limits.

You may ask questions in the comments or contact me privately:

Tim Barton  Chartered Financial Consultant