Time Running Out for 2009 RMD Relief

People who received unwanted RMDs in 2009 have just a few days left to roll those RMDs back into their IRAs, thus eliminating the tax bill from the original distribution.

RMDs Suspended

The Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (WRERA) suspended required minimum distributions (RMDs) for 2009.  If you’re not familiar with RMDs, these are distributions that you are required to take from your traditional IRA and employer sponsored plans (401Ks) beginning at age 70 ½.

This is a one-time suspension of RMDs, effective for 2009 only.  This suspension was created in response to the sharp declines in the stock market, with the purpose of allowing individuals to keep the funds invested in their IRAs instead of being forced to take distributions when the market, and thus their account values, were significantly down.

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Seniors Get a Tax Break in 2009 – Congress Suspends RMD

I know many people were hoping this would pass for 2008 rather than 2009, but I guess late is better than not at all.

Congress approved legislation this week that will provide some relief to Americans over 70 1/2 who have suffered significant losses in their IRA accounts.  The bill will temporarily suspend the excise tax that is levied when seniors fail to the the required minimum distribution (RMD) from their retirement accounts.

This penalty is waived for 2009, which means that seniors will not be required to take withdrawals from their tax deferred retirement accounts during 2009, which will hopefully give these accounts time to recover before the 2010 required distribution.  Unfortunately, this law does not apply to 2008 when it would have made the most difference to investors who have lost significant amounts in their accounts.

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