360 North Pacific Coast Hwy,
Suite 2000, El Segundo, CA 90245
Suite 2000, El Segundo, CA 90245
Office: 310-737-8266
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security act – the CARES Act – is the largest economic bill in U.S. history and was designed to “provide emergency assistance and health care response for individuals, families, and businesses affected by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.”
Spanning close to 900 pages, the comprehensive aid package covers a lot, including direct payments to Americans, expanded unemployment insurance , changes to retirement rules, and billions of dollars in aid to businesses.
Here are a few highlights worth noting:
The bill would provide a $1,200 refundable tax credit for individuals ($2,400/joint). Additionally, taxpayers with children will receive a flat $500 for each child. The rebates will not be counted as taxable income.
The rebate does phase out as follows:
• $75,000 for singles and $112,500 for heads of household
• $150,000 for joint taxpayers at 5 percent per dollar of qualified income, or $50 per $1,000 earned
• Entirely at $99,000 for single taxpayers with no children and $198,000 for joint taxpayers with no children
Unemployment insurance assistance includes an additional $600 per week payment to each recipient for up to four months and extends benefits to self-employed workers, independent contractors, and those with limited work history. The government will provide temporary full funding of the first week of regular unemployment for states with no waiting period and extend benefits for an additional 13 weeks through December 31, 2020.
The 10% penalty for early withdrawals from IRAs and retirement accounts is being waived for 2020, subject to a maximum allowable withdrawal of $100,000. And the withdrawals are taxable over three years, but taxpayers can recontribute the withdrawn funds into their retirement accounts for three years without affecting retirement account caps.
For 2020, individuals expected to take Required Minimum Distributions will not be required to withdrawal that amount from their IRA or retirement plan.
The CARES Act allows for “Coronavirus-related Distributions” which allow participants in IRAs and retirement plans the ability to take a qualifying withdrawal and pay those funds back without tax or interest over a 3-year period. The withdrawal is subject to a $100,000 limit.
Qualifications for Coronavirus-Related Distributions:
• Personal, spouse or dependent diagnosis
• Quarantined, furloughed, laid off, or work hours reduced
• Unable to work due to lack of childcare
• Own a business that is closed or shortened hours
For those unable to meet the Coronavirus-Related Distributions criteria, withdrawals from retirement plans in the form of a loan exists. Generally speaking, those loans need to be repaid back over 5 years and cannot exceed $50,000 or half the vested account value, whichever is less. However, the amount is doubled so that one can take a loan up to $100,000 or half of the vested account value, whichever is less. The loan still needs to be repaid, but payments can be deferred up to 1 year after the loan is taken.
As with all federal government programs, there are rules, deadlines and qualifications that can be difficult to decipher. The fact is that while this is by far the largest economic bill in America’s history, it is near impossible for any bill to take into account every unique situation.
Before you go down a path that might not be in your best interest long-term, consider talking to a financial planner. Most, if not, all financial planners should be offering complimentary reviews in these unprecedented times. So, if there ever was the right time to reach out, this would be a golden opportunity.
© Otium Advisory Group, LLC | Disclaimer | Form ADV | Privacy Policy