Publication 553 |
2008 Tax Year |
3.
IRAs and Other Retirement Plans
Catch-up Contributions in Certain Employer Bankruptcies
If you participated in a 401(k) plan and the employer who maintained the plan went into bankruptcy, you may be able to contribute
an additional
$3,000 to your IRA. For this to apply, the following conditions must be met.
-
You must have been a participant in a 401(k) plan under which the employer matched at least 50% of your contributions to the
plan with stock
of the company.
-
You must have been a participant in the 401(k) plan 6 months before the employer filed for bankruptcy.
-
The employer (or a controlling corporation) must have been a debtor in a bankruptcy case in an earlier year.
-
The employer (or any other person) must have been subject to indictment or conviction based on business transactions related
to the
bankruptcy.
If you choose to make these additional contributions, you cannot use the higher contribution and deduction limits for individuals
who are age 50 or
older.
Income Exclusion for Retired Public Safety Officers
For distributions beginning in 2007, you can elect to exclude from income distributions from an eligible retirement plan that
is a governmental
plan if you are an eligible retired public safety officer. The distribution must be transferred directly to an insurance provider
to pay premiums for
accident or health insurance or qualified long-term care insurance for you, your spouse, or your dependents.
The maximum annual exclusion is $3,000. You cannot deduct these premiums as medical expenses or, if you are self-employed,
health insurance costs.
For more information, see Insurance Premiums for Public Safety Officers in Publication 575, Pension and Annuity Income.
Modified AGI Limit for Traditional IRA Contributions Increased
For 2007, if you were covered by a retirement plan at work, your deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA is reduced
(phased out) if your
modified AGI is:
-
More than $83,000 but less than $103,000 for a married couple filing a joint return or a qualifying widow(er),
-
More than $52,000 but less than $62,000 for a single individual or head of household, or
-
Less than $10,000 for a married individual filing a separate return.
If you either lived with your spouse or file a joint return, and your spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work, but
you were not, your
deduction is phased out if your AGI is more than $156,000 but less than $166,000. If your AGI is $166,000 or more, you cannot
take a deduction for
contributions to a traditional IRA.
Rollover by Nonspouse Beneficiary
Beginning in 2007, you may be able to roll over tax free all or a portion of a distribution you receive from an eligible retirement
plan of a
deceased employee if you are a designated beneficiary of the employee (other than a surviving spouse). The distribution must
be a direct
trustee-to-trustee transfer to your IRA that was set up to receive the distribution. The transfer will be treated as an eligible
rollover distribution
and the receiving plan will be treated as an inherited IRA. For information on rollovers, see Publication 575. For information
on inherited IRAs, see
Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs).
Modified AGI Limit for Retirement Savings Credit Contributions Increased
For 2007, you may be able to claim the retirement savings contributions credit if your modified AGI is not more than:
-
$52,000 if your filing status is married filing jointly,
-
$39,000 if your filing status is head of household, or
-
$26,000 if your filing status is single, married filing separately, or qualifying widow(er).
Rollover of Nontaxable Amounts
For tax years beginning in 2007, the nontaxable part of an eligible rollover distribution (such as after-tax contributions)
from a qualified
retirement plan can be rolled over to another qualified retirement plan that is either a qualified employee plan or an annuity
contract described in
section 403(b). Previously, this part of the distribution could be rolled over only to another qualified retirement plan that
was a defined
contribution plan.
The rollover must be a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer. The plan to which the rollover is made must separately account
for these contributions
and the earnings on them. For information on rollovers, see Publication 575.
Modified AGI Limit for Roth IRA Contributions Increased
For 2007, your Roth IRA contribution limit is reduced (phased out) in the following situations.
-
Your filing status is married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) and your modified AGI is at least $156,000. You cannot
make a Roth IRA
contribution if your modified AGI is $166,000 or more.
-
Your filing status is single, head of household, or married filing separately and you did not live with your spouse at any
time in 2007 and
your modified AGI is at least $99,000. You cannot make a Roth IRA contribution if your modified AGI is $114,000 or more.
-
Your filing status is married filing separately, you lived with your spouse at any time during the year, and your modified
AGI is more than
-0-. You cannot make a IRA contribution if your modified AGI is $10,000 or more.
The following changes apply to qualified plans. For more information, see Publication 560, Retirement Plans for Small Business
(SEP, SIMPLE, and
Qualified Plans).
Limits on contributions and benefits.
For 2007, the maximum annual benefit for a participant under a defined benefit plan has increased to the smaller of:
For 2007, a defined contribution plan's maximum annual contributions and other additions (excluding earnings) to the
account of a participant has
increased to the smaller of:
Compensation limit.
For 2007, the maximum compensation used for figuring contributions and benefits has increased to $225,000.
Elective deferrals (401(k) plans).
For 2007, the limit on elective deferrals (excluding catch-up contributions) for participants in 401(k) plans and
SARSEPs (excluding SIMPLE plans)
increased to $15,500.
Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs)
The following changes apply to SEPs. For more information, see Publication 560.
Elective deferrals (SARSEPs) limit.
The limits on elective deferrals for participants in SARSEPs are discussed earlier under Elective deferrals (401(k) plans).
Deduction limit increased.
The maximum deduction for contributions to a SEP remains unchanged at 25% of the compensation paid or accrued during
the year to your eligible
employees participating in the plan. However, for 2007, the maximum combined deduction for a participant's elective deferrals
and other SEP
contributions has increased to $45,000.
Contribution limit increased.
For 2007, the annual limit on the amount of employer contributions to a SEP has increased to the smaller of:
Compensation limit.
For 2007, the maximum amount of an employee's compensation you can consider when figuring SEP contributions (including
elective deferrals) and the
deduction for contributions has increased to $225,000.
The following change applies to SIMPLE plans. For more information, see Publication 560.
Salary reduction contributions.
For 2007, the limit on salary reduction contributions (excluding catch-up contributions) to a SIMPLE plan increased
to $10,500.
The following changes apply to 403(b) plans. For more information, see Publication 571, Tax-Sheltered Annuity Plans (403(b)
Plans).
Increase in the limit on elective deferrals.
For 2007, the limit on elective deferrals (excluding catch-up contributions) has increased to $15,500.
Limit on annual additions.
For 2007, the limit on annual additions has increased to $45,000.
Traditional IRA Contribution and Deduction Limit
The contribution limit to your traditional IRA for 2008 will be increased to the smaller of the following amounts:
If you were age 50 or older before 2009, the most that can be contributed to your traditional IRA for 2008 will be the smaller
of the following
amounts:
Modified AGI Limit for Traditional IRA Contributions Increased
For 2008, if you are covered by a retirement plan at work, your deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA is reduced
(phased out) if your
modified AGI is:
-
More than $85,000 but less than $105,000 for a married couple filing a joint return or a qualifying widow(er),
-
More than $53,000 but less than $63,000 for a single individual or head of household, or
-
Less than $10,000 for a married individual filing a separate return.
If you either live with your spouse or file a joint return, and your spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work, but you
are not, your
deduction is phased out if your AGI is more than $159,000 but less than $169,000. If your AGI is $169,000 or more, you cannot
take a deduction for
contributions to a traditional IRA.
Modified AGI Limit for Retirement Savings Contributions Credit Increased
For 2008, you may be able to claim the retirement savings contributions credit if your modified AGI is not more than:
-
$53,000 if your filing status is married filing jointly,
-
$39,750 if your filing status is head of household, or
-
$26,500 if your filing status is single, married filing separately, or qualifying widow(er).
If contributions on your behalf are made only to Roth IRAs, your contribution limit for 2008 will generally be the lesser
of:
If you were age 50 or older before 2009 and contributions on your behalf were made only to Roth IRAs, your contribution limit
for 2008 will
generally be the lesser of:
However, if your modified AGI is above a certain amount, your contribution limit may be reduced.
Modified AGI Limit for Roth IRA Contributions Increased
For 2008, your Roth IRA contribution limit is reduced (phased out) in the following situations.
-
Your filing status is married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) and your modified AGI is at least $159,000. You cannot
make a Roth IRA
contribution if your modified AGI is $169,000 or more.
-
Your filing status is single, head of household, or married filing separately and you did not live with your spouse at any
time in 2008 and
your modified AGI is at least $101,000. You cannot make a Roth IRA contribution if your modified AGI is $116,000 or more.
-
Your filing status is married filing separately, you lived with your spouse at any time during the year, and your modified
AGI is more than
-0-. You cannot make a Roth IRA contribution if your modified AGI is $10,000 or more.
The following changes apply to qualified plans. For more information, see Publication 560.
Limits on contributions and benefits.
For 2008, the maximum annual benefit for a participant under a defined benefit plan has increased to the smaller of:
For 2008, a defined contribution plan's maximum annual contributions and other additions (excluding earnings) to the
account of a participant has
increased to the smaller of:
Compensation limit.
For 2008, the maximum compensation used for figuring contributions and benefits has increased to $230,000.
Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs)
The following changes apply to SEPs. For more information, see Publication 560.
Deduction limit increased.
The maximum deduction for contributions to a SEP remains unchanged at 25% of the compensation paid or accrued during
the year to your eligible
employees participating in the plan. However, for 2008, the maximum combined deduction for a participant's elective deferrals
and other SEP
contributions has increased to $46,000.
Contribution limit increased.
For 2008, the annual limit on the amount of employer contributions to a SEP has increased to the smaller of:
Compensation limit.
For 2008, the maximum amount of an employee's compensation you can consider when figuring SEP contributions (including
elective deferrals) and the
deduction for contributions has increased to $230,000.
The following change applies to 403(b) plans. For more information, see Publication 571.
Limit on annual additions.
For 2008, the limit on annual additions has increased to $46,000.
Rollovers From Other Retirement Plans to Roth IRAs
Prior to 2008, you could only rollover (convert) amounts from either a traditional, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA into a Roth IRA. After
2007, you can
rollover amounts from the following plans into a Roth IRA.
-
A qualified pension, profit-sharing or stock bonus plan (including a 401(k) plan),
-
An annuity plan,
-
A tax-sheltered annuity plan (section 403(b) plan),
-
A deferred compensation plan of a state or local government (section 457 plan), or
-
An IRA.
Any amount rolled over is subject to the same rules for converting a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. See Converting From Any Traditional
IRA Into a Roth IRA in chapter 1 of Publication 590. Also, the rollover contribution must meet the rollover requirements that apply to the
specific type of retirement plan.
The following provisions do not apply for 2008.
At the time this publication went to print, Congress was expected to consider legislation that would reinstate these benefits.
To find out if this
legislation is enacted, go to
www.irs.gov click on More Forms and Publications , and then on What's Hot in forms and
publications .
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