The Internal Revenue Code imposes penalties in specific situations, including a ten percent penalty for premature withdrawals from retirement funds. What is premature? That is debatable. In this post, we will explore the age you’d have to be to escape this consequence.
When IRAs (Individual Retirement Arrangements) were launched in 1974, the consequence was enacted. People who withdrew funds from their IRA at 59 years old were immune from the penalty. Those who take their funds before turning 59 and a half years would pay the consequences and taxes imposed on the funds they withdrew. The penalty’s limit of 59 and a half means the day on which you become 59 and a half. Until 1987, every fund in your IRA account was, in fact, pre-taxed. This means that contributions were made with pre-tax monies and your account matured tax-deferred.
The Roth Individual Retirement Arrangements was first launched in 1997. At that time, all earnings you withdrew before 59 and a half were subject to a premature withdrawal penalty. Early withdrawal penalties do not apply to conversions or contributions you make before reaching that age. Withdrawals from your Roth Individual Retirement Arrangements account are viewed as arriving first from contributions, then conversions, and finally from earnings. That’s not the case with the Roth Thrift Savings Plan (explained below); withdrawals from the Roth Thrift Savings Plan are proportional to earnings and contributions.
The Thrift Savings Plan was established in 1987. Like a standard IRA, it permits tax-deferred earnings and pre-tax contributions. It features a ten percent penalty for premature withdrawals up to 59 years. However, the consequence isn’t always applicable. You are excluded from the penalty if you retire from your government position in the same year you reached 55 (or beyond).
This exclusion from the consequence will start the same year you turn 55, but on the very day you turn 55. If you split in one year before you turn 55, the ten percent penalty will become applicable until you turn 59 and a half. Suppose you’re a particular class worker (such as a firefighter or a police officer). In that case, you’re free from the consequences after you reach the age of 50. Funds taken from your Roth Thrift Savings Plan are subject to this rule.
If you split between 55 (or 50) and 59 and a half, don’t expect to pay remit taxes upon withdrawing from your Roth Thrift Savings Plan. A Roth Thrift Savings Plan account has two parts: the paid contributions and profits earned from these contributions. You pay taxes as you contribute. Still, part of the profit is only non-taxable if you take funds out of the account five years or more after creating your Roth and for a minimum of 59 and a half years.
Watch out for the “Roth Tax Trap†if you retire before 59 and a half and start withdrawing funds from your Thrift Savings Plan. The withdrawal would be commensurately from your Roth and traditional accounts. You’ll have to make tax payments on parts of your fund’s withdrawal that emerge from the income component of your Roth account until you are 59 and a half years old.
This is because you may pick which portion of the Thrift Savings Plan your payouts originate from (Roth or traditional). Suppose you are withdrawing funds from your Thrift Savings Plan before age 59. In that case, it is best to withdraw your funds solely from the conventional component of your Thrift Savings Plan.
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Bio:
For over 20 years, Jeff Boettcher has helped his clients grow and protect their retirement savings. “each time I work with my clients, I’m building their future, and there are few things that are more important to a family than a stable financial foundation.”
Jeff is known for his ability to make the complex simple while helping navigate his clients through the challenges of making the right investment decisions. When asked what he is most passionate about professionally, his answer was true to character, “Helping my clients – I love being able to solve their problems. People are rightfully concerned about their retirement income, when they can retire, how to maximize their financial safety and future income.” Jeff started Bedrock Investment Advisors for clients who value a close working relationship with their advisors.
A Michigan native, Jeff grew up playing sports throughout high school and into college. While Jeff is still an ‘aging’ athlete, Jeff will take more swings on the golf course than miles running these days. He creates family time, often with weekly excursions to play golf, a hobby he shares with his three young children.
Disclosure:
Investment Advisory Services are offered through BWM Advisory, LLC (BWM). BWM is registered as an investment advisor and only conducts business in states where it is properly registered or is excluded from registration requirements. We are currently either state or SEC-registered in the following states: Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. Registration is not an endorsement of the firm by securities regulators and does not mean the advisor has achieved a specific level of skill or ability. The firm is not engaged in the practice of law or accounting. Always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.
Although we make great efforts to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, we cannot guarantee all information is correct. Different types of investments involve higher and lower levels of risk. There is no guarantee that a specific investment or strategy will be suitable or profitable for an investor’s portfolio. There are no assurances that a portfolio will match or exceed any particular benchmark. Any comments regarding guarantees, safe and secure investments, guaranteed income streams, or similar refer only to fixed insurance and annuity products. They do not refer, in any way, to securities or investment advisory products. Fixed insurance and annuity product guarantees are subject to the claimsâ€paying ability of the issuing company and are not offered by BWM Advisory, LLC. Guaranteed lifetime income is available through annuitization or the purchase of an optional lifetime income rider, a benefit for which an annual premium is charged. Annuities are long-term products of the insurance industry designed for retirement income. They contain some limitations, including possible withdrawal charges and a market value adjustment that could affect contract values. Annuities are not FDIC-insured. Not affiliated with the U.S. Federal Government or any government Agency.
