IRA Certificates
Interest rates as of November 21, 2008 - Minimum balance: $500.00

 

 

Annual Percentage Yield

Interest Rate

3 Months

2.35%

2.33%

6 Months

3.03%

3.00%

8 Months

3.09%

3.05%

***Special***

12 Months

3.85%

3.80%

18 Months

3.55%

3.50%

22 Months

3.24%

3.20%

24 Months

3.60%

3.55%

36 Months

3.91%

3.85%

48 Months

3.96%

3.90%

***Special***

60 Months

4.37%

4.30%

PENALTIES:

3-6 Month Certificate:
1-3 Years Certificate:
Over 3 Year Certificate:

3 Months Interest
 6 Months Interest
12 Months Interest

* Deposits can be made to any account at any time.

 

 

Liberty Variable IRA Certificate
Interest rates as of November 1, 2008 - Minimum balance: $25.00

 

Certificates

Annual Percentage Yield

Interest Rate

$25.00 - $4,999.99

.65%

.65%

$5,000.00 - $99,999.99

.90%

.90%

$100,000.00 +

1.01%

1.00%

 

 

IRA Savings Passbook
Interest rates as June 1, 2006 - Minimum balance: $25.00

 

Certificates

Annual Percentage Yield

Interest Rate

IRA Savings Passbook

1.26%

1.25%

 

 

What is an IRA?

Tax-deferred, trusted deposit account into which certain eligible individuals contribute funds for retirement up to annual contribution limits.


Advantages of an IRATypes of ContributionsWho can contribute?CompensationPenalties

 

 

ROTH IRA


What is a Roth IRA?

The Roth IRA is a nondeductible account that features tax-free withdrawals for Certain distribution reasons after a five-year holding period.


EligibilityQualified and Nonqualified DistributionsContributions

 

 

Advantages of an IRA:

  1. Immediate income tax benefits. Contributions too many types of IRAs can be either fully or partially deducted for income tax purposes.
  2. Earnings on contributions have tax advantages. Depending on the type of IRA, earnings are usually tax deferred or tax free.
  3. Provides a means to supplement other retirement income.
  4. Receive income when older usually tax liability is less.


Who can contribute?

  1. No minimum age requirement.
  2. An IRA owner must have earned income (compensation).
  3. Maximum - may not establish to contributory IRA for or after the tax year in which they turn 70 1/2.


Compensation:

  1. Includes wages, salaries, tips, professional fees, bonuses, and other amounts received for personal services rendered.
  2. Taxable alimony and separate maintenance payments are considered compensation when determining IRA contribution eligibility.
  3. Compensation also includes self-employment income. Self-employed individuals must aggregate all sources of self-employment to determine net profit or loss.

 

Types of Contributions/Eligibility:

 

Contributory

  1. $5,000 or 100% of compensation whichever is less.

Spousal

  1. Must be married at the end of the year.
  2. Must file a joint federal income tax return.
  3. Effective February 1, 1997 both can have compensation. Compensation to be added together to determine the total contribution amount.
  4. Receiving spouse's compensation must be less than contributory spouse.
  5. Contribution limit is 100% of combined earned income or $5,000.

Rollovers

  1. Occurs when the IRA owner requests a distribution from an IRA, and then rolls the assets back into an existing IRA, a new IRA or back to the original IRA.
  2. The customer has 60 calendar days beginning the day after the funds are received to complete the rollover contribution.
  3. The IRA owner is allowed one rollover per 12-month period. The 12 month period begins the day the IRA owner originally withdraws the assets from the IRA.

Transfers

  1. IRA assets are moved directly from one financial organization to another without the IRA owner having control of the assets.
  2. Unlimited number of transfers allowed.

 

Penalties:

  1. If participants take distributions before age 59 1/2 (except for specified allowed exceptions), they must pay a 10% tax penalty.
  2. 6% excess contribution penalty.
  3. If an IRA owner fails to take a required minimum distribution, a 50% excess-accumulation tax is imposed on the amount not withdrawn. Form 5329 completed by IRA owner.
  4. IRS requires taxpayer to keep track of nondeductible contributions vs. deductible contributions through use of Form 8606. Form 8606 must be filed each year taxpayer makes a nondeductible contribution to an IRA and for each year the taxpayer takes a distribution from an IRA which he/she made a nondeductible contribution. Taxpayer owes a $50 penalty for failure to properly file Form 8606. Additionally, overstate the amount of nondeductible contribution that could result in a $100 penalty per overstatement.
  5. Qualified Plan Rollovers - Indirect - If an employee takes possession of an eligible rollover distribution (ERD) the employer/plan administer must withhold 20% federal income tax.
  6. Technical Corrections Bill - On top of the usual 10% premature-distribution penalty, the technical corrections bill proposes an additional 10% penalty for those converting in 2008 who fail to hold the assets in a Roth IRA for five years. The additional 10% penalty does not apply to conversions occurring in years after 1998.

 

 

Eligibility of Roth IRAs

  1. Individuals must have earned income (or their spouse must have earned income)
  2. Their modified adjust gross income (MAGI) cannot exceed certain limits.


Contributions

  1. The amount that individuals are eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA is dictated by the amount of their earned income and their MAGI.
  2. Individuals can contribute up to the lesser of $5,000.00 or 100% of their compensation subject to MAGI limits.
  3. See attached for limits.
  4. Spousal contribution limit is 100% of combined earned income or $5,000.00; whichever is less - subject to MAGI limits. This amount must be split between the spouses' IRAs. The maximum contribution to either IRA is $5,000.00.
  5. Individuals age 70 1/2 or older are eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA.
  6. Contribution deadline for a Roth IRA is the same as a traditional IRA.


Qualified and Nonqualified Distributions

  1. Individuals who receive distributions within a five-year holding period or take nonqualified distributions must pay taxes on the earnings withdrawn. In addition, the IRAs 10 percent premature-distribution penalty may apply to the earnings depending on the distribution reason.
  2. Qualified distributions include: (earnings withdrawn are penalty free and tax free)
    1. distributions made on or after the date on which the individual attains 59 1/2
    2. distributions made to a beneficiary upon the individual's death
    3. distributions attributable to being disabled
    4. qualified first-time homebuyer distributions
  3. Nonqualified Distributions are distributions taken within five years and/or taken for reasons other than the qualified reasons given. May or may not be subject to tax or penalties.
    1. Original contribution amounts are returned first
    2. Individuals can always withdraw their principal tax-free and penalty free for any reason at any time.
    3. When nonqualified distributions exceed the original contribution amounts, taxes and a 10% premature-distribution penalty may apply to the earnings withdrawn.
    4. The following are types of Roth IRA distributions are subject to taxes on earnings withdrawn; however, the 10% premature-distribution penalty does not apply:
      1. Substantially equal periodic payments.
      2. Eligible medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of MAGI.
      3. Medical insurance premiums for eligible unemployed individuals.
      4. Qualified education expense distributions.
      5. Distributions taken within the first five years for any of the following reasons: age 59 1/2, death, disability, or first-time home purchase.

 

 

New IRA Legislation Comparison Chart

 

 

Traditional IRA

Roth IRA

Educational IRA

Eligibility

  • Under age 70 1/2
  • Earned Income
  • Earned Income
  • MAGI Limits (defined below)
  • Designated beneficiary under age 18
  • No state prepaid tuition program
  • MAGI Limits (defined below)

Contribution Limits

  • Lesser of 100% of earned income or $5,000
  • Aggregated with Roth IRA contribution
  • Lesser of 100% earned income or $5,000 ---subject to MAGI limits
  • Aggregated with traditional IRA contribution
  • $2,000 --subject to MAGI limits

Deductible Contributions

Yes --subject to MAGI limits

No

No

Single filers MAGI limits for 2008

  • $53,000 or less=full deduction
  • Between $53,000 and $63,000=partial deduction
  • $63,000 or more=no deduction
  • $101,000 or less=full contribution
  • Between $101,000 and $116,000=partial contribution
  • $116,000 or more=no contribution
  • $101,000 or less=full contribution
  • Between $101,000 and $116,000=partial contribution
  • $116,000 or more=no contribution

Joint Filers MAGI Limits for 2008

  • $85,000 or less=full deduction
  • Between $85,000 and $105,000=partial deduction
  • $105,000 or more=no deduction
  • $159,000 or less=full contribution
  • Between $159,000 and $169,000=partial contribution
  • $169,000 or more=no contribution
  • $159,000 or less=full contribution
  • Between $159,000 and $169,000=partial contribution
  • $169,000 or more=no contribution

 

Traditional IRA

Roth IRA

Educational IRA

Tax-Deferred Earnings

Yes

Yes

Yes

Tax-free Qualified Distributions

None

  • Age 59 1/2
  • death
  • disability
  • first-time home buyers
    Note: must meet 5-year holding period
  • Qualified higher education expenses

Distributions that are taxable but no 10 percent penalty

  • Age 59 1/2
  • Death
  • Disability
  • Substantially equal periodic payments
  • Qualified medical expenses
    (exceeding 7.5% of AGI)
  • Qualified medical insurance premiums by certain unemployed individuals
  • Higher education
  • First-time home buyers
  • Substantially equal periodic payments
  • Eligible medical expenses
    (exceeding 7.5% AGI)
  • Eligible medical insurance premiums by certain unemployed individuals
  • When taken within the first five years:
    age 59 1/2; disability; death; and
    first-time home buyers distributions
  • Death; disability; and scholarship

Taxations Issues for Withdrawals

  • Earnings and deductible
  • Nondeductible contributions are not taxed
  • Withdrawals are a ratio of deductible and nondeductible amounts
  • Earnings withdrawn for nonqualified reasons are taxable
  • Contributions are not taxed when withdrawn
  • Withdrawals are considered to be the return of contributions first, then earnings
  • Earnings withdrawn for nonqualified reasons are taxable
  • Withdrawals are a ratio of taxable (earnings) and nontaxable (contributions) amounts

Age 70 1/2 Required Minimum Distributions

Yes

No

No

 

 

 

 

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Pottsville, PA 17901

 

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