Find Out Now – Why Is RMD Considered Earned Income?

It’s that time of year when seniors are starting to think about their required minimum distributions (RMDs). The required minimum distribution is the minimum amount that must be withdrawn from a retirement account each year. For most people, this is the first time they have ever had to pay taxes on their retirement savings. So, why is the required minimum distribution considered earned income?

The answer has to do with how the IRS taxes retirement accounts. Retirement accounts are taxed differently than other investment accounts. With a retirement account, you do not pay taxes on the money you contribute. Instead, you pay taxes on the money when you withdraw it.

The required minimum distribution is the minimum amount that you must withdraw each year. The required minimum distribution is considered earned income because it is money that you have not yet paid taxes on. When you withdraw the money, you will owe taxes on it. The required minimum distribution is the IRS’s way of making sure that you pay taxes on your retirement savings. The required minimum distribution is the minimum amount that must be withdrawn from a retirement account each year. It is considered earned income because it is money that you have not yet paid taxes on. The required minimum distribution is the IRS’s way of making sure that you pay taxes on your retirement savings.

How are RMDs taxed?

The account owner is taxed at his or her income tax rate on the amount of the withdrawn RMD. However, to the extent the RMD is a return of basis or is a qualified distribution from a Roth IRA, it is tax free.”

IRS.GOV Website

If you know which sections you are more interested in, click the above table of contents and jump to the area you are most interested in reading about. 

If not, I will give you a background of RMD’s, taxes, penalties and how to minimize them throughout this article.

IRA RMD Required Minimum Distribution Withdrawal Taxes

The Required Beginning Date, or RBD, of RMDs can put people who are eligible in a difficult position. Some people who have a traditional 401(k) or IRA and are over 72 don’t need the payments from their RMDs for their living expenses. Their Social Security benefits, pension, investments and other income may be more than enough to provide a content and happy retirement already.

• If you don’t take the required minimum withdrawals, or the correct amount, you’ll be hit with big penalties.  The RMD penalty is 50%. 

• Withdrawing your RMD considered earned income, which may increase your tax bracket.  Leading you to paying more income taxes for the year. It can even affect the way and amount that your Social Security benefits are taxed.

• The good news is that there are a lot of ways to cut back on or even get rid of the RMDs and the taxable income. There are ways to handle RMDs when you don’t need the money. 

• Strategies include delaying retirement, completing a partial or full IRA to a Roth IRA conversion, and limiting the number of first withdrawals.  Traditional IRA account holders can also give their RMDs to a qualified charity with their RMD funds.

RMD, Withdrawals, and Taxes – An Introduction

This article discusses how the U.S. government taxes money that is withdrawn from retirement accounts, specifically for RMD required minimum withdrawals. The taxes are progressive, meaning that the more money that is withdrawn, the higher the tax rate. 

When it comes to taxes, there are a lot of different things that can be said. However, one thing is for certain: taxes can be a real pain to deal with. This is especially true when it comes to withdrawals from retirement accounts.

There are a few different types of taxes that can be applied to retirement account withdrawals. 

• The most common is the federal income tax. This tax is applied to all withdrawals, regardless of the amount. 
• The other type of tax is the state income tax. This tax is applied to withdrawals from state-sponsored retirement accounts, such as the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.

With the federal income tax, the amount of tax you owe depends on your tax bracket. The higher your taxable income, the higher your tax bracket, and the more tax you owe. With the state income tax, the amount of tax you owe depends on the state in which you reside.

The best way to avoid paying taxes on retirement account withdrawals is to plan ahead. 

Required Minimum Distribution RMDs – What Are They?

You must start taking money out of your IRA by April 1 of the year after you turn 72. This is called your Required Beginning Date, or RBD.  At that point, you can take out all of your money or you can start taking regular withdrawals. 

• If you choose to get periodic distributions, you must get a certain amount each year. 
• This distributions each year are called Required Minimum Distributions, or RMDs

• In order to figure out how much money you need to take out of your IRAs, you take the account balance on December 31 of the year before the distribution.
  • Divide it by the life expectancy for that type of IRA. 
  • Figure out the owner’s required minimum distribution in Pub. 590-B by looking at the tables

• If the trustee, custodian, or issuer of your IRA tells you how much you need to take out of your IRA, you can use that amount.
• As long as you don’t have a Roth IRA, you can take the minimum required distribution from any one or more of your other IRAs (other than Roth IRAs).  These are called the Aggregation Rules.  
• IRS Pub 590-B has a lot more information about the minimum distribution rules, with examples. 

Roth IRA. 

• Owners of Roth IRAs don’t have to take any money out at all during their lives. After the owner of a Roth IRA dies, the rules that apply to the beneficiary apply.
• Check out Pub. 590-B for more information on Form 5329 (2021).

Read my earlier article about Inherited IRAs and the RMD

RMD CALCULATOR

Where Can I Find The IRS RMD Form?

How Do I Get Around Taxes on RMD? How To Avoid Taxes on RMD? How To Take RMDs To Avoid Any Taxes? How To Not Pay Any Taxes on IRA Withdrawal?

1. Are You Still  Working?

The main purpose of RMDs is so that the IRS can start to collect taxes on income that was previously untaxed – since RMD considered earned income. However, 401k savers who work past the age of 72 (and don’t own more than 5% of the company) can defer taking money out of their 401k until they reach retirement age. 

This exemption only applies to your current employees 401k.

If you have an IRA or 401k from a previous job, you must follow the RMD rule. If you don’t take a distribution, you will have to pay the excess accumulation penalty, which is 50% of what you should have taken. 

2. Keep Your First Year Distributions To a Minimum 

Those who turn 72, their Required Begin Date is up until April 1 of the calendar year after turning 72. After that, they have to take it by December 31 every year.  Only choose this option if you have carefully planned it.

Many retirees decide to put off taking their first RMD until after the first required year (but prior to April 1) because they think they will be in a lower tax bracket when they do so. While it makes sense for some people to wait, it also means that you will have to take two distributions in one year.

This could mean that the IRS will tax even more money. As a result, this could also move you back into a higher tax bracket, which could cause even more money to be taken from you.  You can delay the RMD and the tax a year, but not avoid it entirely.

Here’s a better idea: Take your first withdrawal as soon as you turn 72, unless you expect to be in a much lower tax bracket. This way, you won’t have to draw down twice in the first year.

3. Roth Conversion

If you have excess savings in your IRA and don’t plan on needing the required minimum distribution – consider converting all or some of your IRA into a Roth IRA.  This way you won’t have to worry about RMDs.  The money grows tax deferred, can potentially come out tax free, and be left to heirs with tax benefits.

Yes, this strategy has the reverse effect – Roth conversions can be pricey.  It’s taxed when you move your money from the IRA to a Roth Conversion. Pre-tax money that you convert will be taxed, so you will have to pay.  You will pay taxes at your normal rate, which could lead to a big tax bill.  

Never consider this without speaking with your tax advisor first.  You may prefer to put off paying the taxes until the future, or let your heirs do so.  But paying the tax on a smaller sum today may be the better move for you – especially if you don’t need the income.

4. Prefer Giving Money To a Worthy Charity Than Pay Taxes to The Government?

Then donate the money from your IRA to a qualified charity. Traditional IRA account holders can usually gift their RMDs to a qualified charity. This is called the qualified charitable distribution (QCD) rule, and it says that you can only give to charities that are qualified. 

Typically if you give less than $100,000 to a qualified charity, you won’t have to pay taxes on the RMD. But, Your IRA custodian must transfer the funds directly to the charity.

5. Marry Someone At Least 10 Years Younger Than You.  

In a strange way, the age of your spouse can change how much of a required minimum distributions you have to take. You can use different life expectancy tables from the IRS. For more on the new IRS life expectancy Tables for 2022, read my earlier article here.

If you’re single, have a spouse who is younger than you by less than 10 years, or your spouse isn’t the sole beneficiary of your IRA, you’ll use the Uniform Lifetime Table. Joint Life and Last Survivor Expectancy Table: This is for people who have a spouse who is more than 10 years younger than them.

The Joint Life and Last Survivor Expectancy Table lets you withdraw less money from your account each year. Taking out less money means you won’t pay as much tax.

6- Think About a Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract, or QLAC.

If you don’t need the money from your RMDs when you turn 72, you can use some of the money in your  IRA to buy a QLAC.  You can’t contribute more than $135,000 to a QLAC, and you can’t contribute more than 25% of any retirement account to fund your QLAC.

In order to get money from a QLAC, you can set a future start date for when you start getting money from it. That start date could be as late as 85 years old. All of the money you’ve put into your QLAC will no longer be taken into account when RMDs are calculated. This means that you don’t have to take out as much money, which lowers your tax bill.

The QLAC will pay you a set amount of money every month starting at your chosen age, and the later you choose, the more money you will get.  In essence, you have deferred your RMD’s to a future date.

How Do RMD Required Minimum Distribution Withdrawal Taxes Work?

When you make an RMD withdrawal, the taxes on the withdrawal depend on how much money you withdraw and what tax bracket you are in. 

• If you are in a higher tax bracket, you will owe more taxes on the withdrawal than if you are in a lower tax bracket. 
• The exact amount of taxes you owe will also depend on whether you are taking the withdrawal from a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. 
• With a traditional IRA, you will owe taxes on the withdrawal at your marginal tax rate. 
• With a Roth IRA, you will not owe any taxes on the withdrawal if you have held the account for at least five years.

Who Is Affected By RMD Required Minimum Distribution Withdrawal Taxes?

When an individual retires and begins to draw from their retirement account, the IRS imposes a Required Minimum Distribution. This Distribution is typically taken from the account holder’s first withdrawal and is based on their life expectancy. 

The amount of the minimum distribution depends on the size of the account and the account holder’s age. The minimum distribution is generally lower for younger retirees and higher for older retirees.

The required minimum distribution affects both the account holder and their beneficiaries. The account holder is affected because they must pay the tax on their withdrawal. The beneficiaries are affected because the amount of the withdrawal is reduced by the amount of the tax. This can have a significant impact on the beneficiaries, especially if they were counting on the full amount of the account one day.

One way to minimize the impact is to take withdrawals over a period of years. This way, the account holder can spread the tax liability over a number of years and reduce the impact on their overall retirement income.

How To Report IRA RMD Taxes on 1040

Are RMDs taxes as ordinary income?

Yes, required minimum distribution RMD considered earned income. Meaning you will pay taxes on your RMD as ordinary income and at your income tax rate.  A large RMD distribution could push you into a higher tax bracket 

FreetaxUSA Review

Withdrawals From a Traditional IRA

In most cases, you report the total amount of your IRA distribution and RMD is considered earned income. If you made nondeductible contributions to your IRA, you can report them. 

• If you’ve made nondeductible contributions, use Form 8606 to figure out how much of the distribution is taxed. 
• So on line 15a of Form 1040, write down the total distribution as an IRA distribution.
• Then, on line 15b of Form 1040, write down the amount that is taxed.
• In order to figure out your early withdrawal penalty, or show that you were exempt from it, you’ll need to fill out Form 5329.
• Report the early withdrawal penalty, if any, on line 58 of the Form 1040, if it is there. Adding this to the amount of taxes you owe will raise them.
• On line 62 of Form 1040, write down the withholding, if any, from the money you took out, if you did.
• Box 4 on your Form 1099-R has this amount. That makes it easier for you to pay taxes or get a refund.

Withdrawals From a Roth IRA

• Report the whole amount of the Roth IRA distribution as an IRA distribution, no matter how much,
• I believe, in Form 1040, it goes on line 15a; in Form 1040A, it goes on line 11a.
• Use Form 8606 to figure out how much of your Roth IRA withdrawal is taxed.
  • There may be no need to figure out how much of the withdrawal from your Roth IRA is taxed if you are taking a qualified withdrawal.
• Report the taxable amount of your Roth IRA distribution as the “Taxable amount,” and write it down. 
• In Form 1040, it goes on line 15b; in Form 1040A, on line 11b.
• Form 5329 can help you figure out how much of your non-qualified Roth IRA distribution is taxed.
  • If you have an exception to the penalty, like paying for college, write it down on Form 5329.

• If you got a fine from Form 5329, write it down on line 58 of Form 1040. This raises your tax bill.
• On line 62 of Form 1040, write down the withholding, if any, from the money you took out, 
• If you did. Box 4 on your Form 1099-R has this amount. That makes it easier for you to pay taxes or get a refund.

”Allowing excess amounts to accumulate (failing to take required distributions).”

IRS.GOV

Penalties CAN Be Waived If You Miss The RMD Deadline

How can penalties be waived for missing the RMD deadline?  If you can show that any shortfall in the amount of your distributions was due to a reasonable mistake and that you are taking steps to fix it. 

This means that the IRS can waive some or all of this tax. If you think you qualify for this kind of help, write a statement of why and fill out Form 5329 the way that follows.

• Fill in lines 52 and 53 as directed.
• Next, write “RC” next to line 54. 
• Then put “RC” and the amount of the shortfall you want to waive in parentheses next to it. 
• Subtract this amount from the total shortfall figure you came up with without taking into account the waiver. 
• Then enter the result on line 54.
• Do what you were told to do on line 55. 
• If you owe tax, you must pay any that is reported on line 55 of the form.
• The IRS will look at the information you give them and decide whether or not to let you get a waiver. 
• if your request is not approved, the IRS will let you know what extra taxes you may have to pay because you didn’t pay enough taxes.

What is Form 5329 Part IX?

You may need this form if you fail to take your required minimum distribution.  This includes complete failure to distribute any funds from your IRA, or not enough to satisfy your required minimum distribution RMD.

RMDs are required minimum distributions from your Traditional IRA or 401k when you reach the age of 72. These are called required minimum distributions because you have to take them. 

To figure out how much you need to take out, you can use an IRS worksheet. You can read my earlier article all about the worksheets and new IRS rmd tables for 2022 here.

The amount is based on the total value of all of your tax-deferred retirement accounts divided by your life expectancy. 

This is how you can do it with traditional IRAs: 

You add up the balances in all of your traditional IRAs, divide that total by the life expectancy factor, and take money from one or more of them. 

However, with 401(k)s and 403(b)s, you have to figure out how much you need to withdraw from each account and then do it for each one.  Your financial institution or IRA custodian will usually figure out how much money you need to take out of your account each year.

RMD Deadline: Take your required minimum distribution by December 31 of each year.  

• If you don’t take out the minimum amount from your plan, you face a very big penalty:
  • It costs you 50% of the money that you don’t take on time. 
• You pay this 50% penalty tax on the difference between the minimum you were supposed to take out and how much you actually distributed.

If you didn’t take your RMD because you were sick, mentally incapacitated, or your bank made a mistake, you may be able to get the penalty to be waived.

• IRS Form 5329 has a part called “Part 9.” You’ll figure out the penalty there. 
• Fill in “RC” (for reasonable cause) on Line 54 and the amount of shortfall you want to waive, then click “OK.” 
• Attach a letter to your tax return that explains why you can’t pay.

• As for the second box, if no amount of your RMD was taken out of your retirement account before the deadline, leave the box empty. 
• If some of your RMD was taken before the deadline, write down how much in this box. 
• The tax will be 50% of the difference between the amount you are supposed to take and the amount you took.

If you want to get the 50% tax penalty waived:

A waiver: Check the box, then enter the amount of RMD you want to get a waiver on. To get the full amount waived, please enter the full amount of the RMD that wasn’t taken on time.

You need to fill out the “explanation of waiver” form to tell the IRS about your situation and the steps you have taken to solve it.

• As long as you don’t have a Roth IRA, you can take the minimum required distribution from any one or more of your other IRAs (other than Roth IRAs).
• Pub. 590-B has a lot more information about the minimum distribution rules, with examples. See When Must You Withdraw Assets? for more information.
• The money you give to a qualified charity will count toward your total. You can find more information about qualified charitable distributions in the first chapter of Pub. 590-B, which is called “Are Distributions Taxable?”

People who have trusts and wills

Do not forget to put the amount of tax on Form 1041, Line 8. From Form 5329, write “Tax” and the amount of the tax to the left of the line 8 space.

Roth IRA

• Owners of Roth IRAs don’t have to take any money out at all during their lives. After the owner of a Roth IRA dies, the rules that apply to the beneficiary apply.

1. Take an inventory of ALL of your retirement accounts.
2. Note all of your retirement account balances on December 31 of the previous year
3. Double check all of your calculations (calculators here)
4. Compare your calculations to the any calculations provided by your plan provider
5. Know the rules of aggregation – combining RMDs from multiple accounts
6. Know the RMD rules, if you are still working
7. Understand the rules for inherited accounts

Conclusion

RMD withdrawal taxes can be a significant burden for retirees, especially if they are not prepared for them. Withdrawing money from retirement accounts can trigger taxes on both the federal and state level, so it is important to be aware of the potential tax implications before making any withdrawals. Working with a financial advisor can help ensure that you are withdrawing money in the most tax-efficient way possible.

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