1. You may be able to deduct some or all of your contributions to your IRA. You may also be eligible for the Savers Credit formally known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit.
2. Contributions can be made to your traditional IRA at any time during the year or by the due date for filing your return for that year, not including extensions. For most people, this means contributions for 2009 must be made by April 15, 2010. Additionally, if you make a contribution between Jan. 1 and April 15, you should designate the year targeted for that contribution.
3. The funds in your IRA are generally not taxed until you receive distributions from that IRA.
4. Use the worksheets in the instructions for either Form 1040A or Form 1040 to figure your deduction for IRA contributions.
5. For 2009, the most that can be contributed to your traditional IRA is generally the smaller of the following amounts: $5,000 or $6,000 for taxpayers who are 50 or older or the amount of your taxable compensation for the year.
6. Use Form 8880, Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions, to determine whether you are also eligible for a tax credit equal to a percentage of your contribution.
7. You must use either Form 1040A or Form 1040 to claim the Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contribution or if you deduct an IRA contribution.
8. You must be under age 70 1/2 at the end of the tax year in order to contribute to a traditional IRA.
9. You must have taxable compensation, such as wages, salaries, commissions, tips, bonuses, or net income from self-employment to contribute to an IRA. If you file a joint return, generally only one of you needs to have taxable compensation, however, see Spousal IRA Limits in IRS Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements for additional rules.
10. Refer to IRS Publication 590, for more information on contributing to your IRA account.

Both Form 8880 and Publication 590 can be downloaded at IRS.gov or ordered by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

1. Income Limits The Savers Credit, formally known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, applies to individuals with a filing status and income of:

• Single, married filing separately, or qualifying widow(er), with  income up to $27,750
• Head of Household, with income up to $41,625
• Married Filing Jointly, with income up to $55,500

2. Eligibility requirements To be eligible for the credit you must have been born before January 2, 1992, you cannot have been a full-time student during the calendar year and cannot be claimed as a dependent on another person’s return.

3. Credit amount If you make eligible contributions to a qualified IRA, 401(k) and certain other retirement plans, you may be able to take a credit of up to $1,000 or up to $2,000 if filing jointly. The credit is a percentage of the qualifying contribution amount, with the highest rate for taxpayers with the least income.

4. Distributions When figuring this credit, you generally must subtract the amount of distributions you have received from your retirement plans from the contributions you have made. This rule applies to distributions received in the two years before the year the credit is claimed, the year the credit is claimed, and the period after the end of the credit year but before the due date – including extensions – for filing the return for the credit year.

5. Other tax benefits The Retirement Savings Contributions Credit is in addition to other tax benefits which may result from the retirement contributions. For example, most workers at these income levels may deduct all or part of their contributions to a traditional IRA. Contributions to a regular 401(k) plan are not subject to income tax until withdrawn from the plan.

6. Forms to use To claim the credit use Form 8880, Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions.

For more information, review IRS Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), Publication 4703, Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, and Form 8880. Publications and forms can be downloaded at IRS.gov or ordered by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

1. Payments you receive from your Individual Retirement Arrangement before you reach age 59 ½ are generally considered early or premature distributions.
2. Early distributions are usually subject to an additional 10 percent tax.
3. Early distributions must also be reported to the IRS.
4. Distributions you rollover to another IRA or qualified retirement plan are not subject to the additional 10 percent tax. You must complete the rollover within 60 days after the day you received the distribution.
5. The amount you roll over is generally taxed when the new plan makes a distribution to you or your beneficiary.
6. If you made nondeductible contributions to an IRA and later take early distributions from your IRA, the portion of the distribution attributable to those nondeductible contributions is not taxed.
7. If you received an early distribution from a Roth IRA, the distribution attributable to your prior contributions is not taxed.
8. If you received a distribution from any other qualified retirement plan, generally the entire distribution is taxable unless you made after-tax employee contributions to the plan.
9. There are several exceptions to the additional 10 percent early distribution tax, such as when the distributions are used for the purchase of a first home, for certain medical or educational expenses, or if you are disabled.
10. For more information about early distributions from retirement plans, the additional 10 percent tax and all the exceptions see IRS Publication 575, Pension and Annuity Income and Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). Both publications are available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

This is just a reminder that there are required minimum distributions (RMDs) for 2010 from defined contribution plans (401(k), 403(b), 457 type plans) and from IRAs.
The suspension of RMDs has not been extended – as of the release of this update.
Individuals who turned 70 1/2 in 2009 will calculate their RMDs for 2010 as though there was no suspension last year. They do not have to take the 2009 RMD before April 1, 2010.
All other individuals will also calculate their distributions as if the 2009 suspension did not exist. If you are doing a Roth conversion you must take your RMD before doing the conversion. The RMD amount cannot be converted to a Roth IRA. RMDs cannot be rolled over and the first funds out of an IRA are considered to be the RMD.
This is an important fact to remember as the calendar has turned to 2010. And it is worth repeating: The suspension of RMDs has not been extended – as of the release of this update. Individuals who turned 70 1/2 in 2009 will calculate their RMDs for 2010 as though there was no suspension last year. They do not have to take the 2009 RMD before April 1, 2010.

From Ed Slott’s Monthly IRA Newsletter

He brought to our attention the many problem areas in IRA plans. Some of his top recommendations are as follows:

• Everyone should obtain copies of their beneficiary forms from their custodian to make sure that it is exactly like they want it to be. The beneficiary form takes precedent over your will. According to Mr. Slott there have been recent cases in which the custodian misplaced the forms.
• Mr. Slott also recommends that a participant should request copies of their custodian agreements and have them reviewed by their tax advisor.

It will usually pay for them to roll the money back into an IRA and give to the charity from there. The IRA owner does not include the QCD in income, nor does he receive a tax deduction for the donation.

But tax-wise this works out better than if he withdrew the funds from his IRA and donated them to charity. He would receive a tax deduction for the funds donated, but he would also have to include the distribution in income. That would increase his adjusted gross income which in turn could cause deductions, exemptions, tax credits and other tax benefits to be lost. This would increase the overall tax bill. It will pay for him to roll the unwanted RMD back into an IRA and transfer the funds to the char- ity from the IRA.

The higher your  income, the more it makes sense to use the QCD approach.