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Could Your IRA Use More Love Next Year Due to the Pandemic?

Published on September 24, 2020

In late July, Republican senators introduced legislation that would allow people to make catch-up contributions to their IRA, 401(k) and similar retirement accounts in 2021 and 2022, should they be unable to make full contributions this year. The bill, called the “Addressing Missed-savings Opportunities for Retirement due to an Epidemic Act” (AMORE Act) was introduced by Senators Ted Cruz, Thom Tillis, David Perdue, and Kelly Loeffler. It is designed to help individuals facing financial challenges resulting from COVID-19.

Usually, catch-up contributions are for workers age 50+ who wish to contribute more than the standard limit to their qualified retirement account; for 2020, the standard Traditional/Roth IRA contribution limit is $6,000 a year and the catch-up limit for individuals aged 55 and older is $7,000. However, with millions of Americans unexpectedly unemployed or working at reduced hours and/or wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMORE Act recognizes the challenges in maintaining their retirement savings goals.

The legislation will allow Americans with IRAs and other qualified retirement plans to catch up on their savings as the economy—and their financial situation—recover. Individuals would be allowed to make the catch-up contributions in 2021 and 2022 equal to the difference between their actual contributions for 2020 and current federal limits on these accounts.

For example, Judy is 45 years old and has contributed $5,000 so far to her IRA this year; she won’t be able to contribute any more in 2020 due to being furloughed. However, under the AMORE Act, she would be able to make a catch-up contribution in 2021 and 2022 for any unused contribution in 2020 – in Judy’s case, an additional $1,000.

Here’s another way to catch up: self-direct your IRA

Self-directed investors—that is, individuals with a self-directed IRA—have the ability to include many nontraditional investments within their retirement plans, such as real estate, private equity, notes/loans, social causes, and more. Self-direction provides a hedge against stock market volatility, allows individuals to diversify their retirement portfolios, and gives way for better control over their earnings – which could be seen as another form of a “catch up.”

These types of accounts are ideal for investors who already know and understand alternative assets and might already be investing in them outside of their existing retirement plan. Self-directed IRAs come with the same tax advantages as their regular counterparts, so investors can grow their retirement savings either tax-deferred or tax-free, depending on the type of plan.

If you’d like to learn more about self-direction and its benefits, we encourage you to schedule a complimentary educational session with one of our knowledgeable representatives. Alternatively, you can contact our team directly for answers to your questions about self-direction as a retirement strategy. You can reach us via phone at 888.857.8058 or via email to NewAccounts@NextGenerationTrust.com.

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