Saving

Contribute to your retirement plan.  In 2019, the yearly contribution limit for a Roth or traditional IRA rises to $6,000; $7,000 for those making “catch-up” contributions.  Income limits are applied to Roth IRAs.  You can contribute up to $19,000 to 401(k), 403(b), and most 457 plans, with $6,000 “catch-up” contributions.¹

Make 2018 IRA contributions by April 15, 2019, which is the deadline for filing your 2018 federal return.

There are many reason to work with a financial professional.  Here are some of the reasons.

• A financial professional can apply his or her skills to your specific needs. Just as important, you have someone who can answer questions about things that you may find confusing or anxiety-provoking. When the financial markets go through one of their periodic downturns, having someone you can turn to may help you make sense of it all.

You can always withdraw more than you are required to from your IRAs and retirement plans. However, if you fail to take at least the RMD for  any year (or if you take it too late), you will be subject to a federal penalty. The penalty is a 50 percent excise tax on the amount by which the RMD exceeds the distributions actually made to you during the taxable year.

Remember, you have the option of delaying your first distribution until April 1 following the calendar year in which you reach age 70½ (or April 1 following the calendar year in which you retire, in some cases).

You might delay taking your first distribution if you expect to be in a lower income tax bracket in the following year, perhaps because you're no longer working or will have less income from other sources. However, if you wait until the following year to take your first distribution, your second distribution must be made on or by December 31 of that same year.

RMDs are calculated by dividing your traditional IRA or retirement plan account balance by a life expectancy factor specified in IRS tables. Your account balance is usually calculated as of December 31 of the year preceding the calendar year for which the distribution is required to be made.

Your first required distribution from an IRA or retirement plan is for the year you reach age 70½. However, you have some flexibility as to when you actually have to take this first-year distribution. You can take it during the year you reach age 70½, or you can delay it until April 1 of the following year.

In addition to traditional IRAs, simplified employee pension (SEP) IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs are subject to the RMD rules. Roth IRAs, however, are not subject to these rules while you are alive. Although you are not required to take any distributions from your Roth IRAs during your lifetime, your beneficiary will generally be required to take distributions from the Roth IRA after your death.

Required minimum distributions, often referred to as RMDs or minimum required distributions, are amounts that the federal government requires you to withdraw annually from traditional IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans after you reach age 70½ (or, in some cases, after you retire). You can always withdraw more than the minimum amount from your IRA or plan in any year, but if you withdraw less than the required minimum, you will be subject to a federal penalty.

Every March 8, we reflect on the financial progress women have made (and still need to make). #BeBoldForChange

March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the social and economic progress and cultural achievements of women worldwide.

Emotion often drives our financial decisions, even when logic should.