Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Article: Approaching Equitable Retirement Tax Incentives

Albert Feuer recently published an article entitled, Approaching Equitable Retirement Tax Incentives, Wills, Trusts, & Estates Law ejournal (2021). Provided below is the abstract to the Article: Estate planning

In September, the Ways-and-Means Committee of the House approved proposals to substantially improve the equity of retirement tax incentives for American workers. The new requirement that employers automatically enroll employees in a simple defined contribution plan, and the new refundable retirement savings tax credits, both do so. One major proposal needs to be added. Roth individual retirement accounts and annuities (IRAs) must be subject to the same required minimum distribution (RMD) rules as traditional IRAs. Other Committee proposals may be improved. Simplify the new excess balance distribution rules for a taxpayer, whose aggregate IRA and defined contribution accounts exceed $10 million at the end of a tax year. Harmonize the sanctions for excess balance violations with those for RMD rule violations. Simplify the new Roth IRA conversion rules. Remove the income threshold triggers for the new limits. Increase reporting about participant and beneficiary individual accounts.

Congress is now considering how to better implement the common-sense principle that tax incentives to encourage adequate retirement savings be focused on retirement savings. By increasing transparency and the benefits directed at those with inadequate retirement saving as described herein, and reducing loopholes and undue complexity, Congress may not only increase the equity and efficacy of our huge retirement tax incentives and our tax system, but boost Americans’ confidence in their government.

Keywords: minimum required distributions, MRDs, required minimum distributions, RMDs, pension plans, defined contribution plans, 401(k) plans, retirement plans, IRAs, Roth IRA, participant, beneficiary, income tax, tax deferral, tax incentive, withdrawal, distribution, estate planning, equity, inequality

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/trusts_estates_prof/2022/04/article-approaching-equitable-retirement-tax-incentives.html

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