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Sweeping change is coming to the way you plan for your retirement. Congress passed the SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act as part of a huge government spending deal at the end of 2019. Gilmore Jasion Mahler is already getting questions from clients wondering how they’re affected by the changes.  

While the SECURE Act includes a number of changes that will impact retirement planning, the change with perhaps the most immediate impact involves the age at which individuals need to start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their retirement accounts. As of the year 2020, that age has been changed to 72 years old from the former age of 70-and-a-half years old. Here’s an important note: If you were 70-and-a-half at the end of 2019, you are not impacted by the law change, and will still need to start taking your RMDs at 70-and-a-half years old.

The SECURE Act brings other retirement planning changes as well, including:

• Increasing restrictions on how non-spouse beneficiaries stretch out RMDs from a loved one’s retirement account
• Allowing people who work past the age of 70-and-a-half to contribute to an IRA (with some restrictions)

What should you do?

The SECURE Act could change how you plan for your retirement in a number of ways. It is important that you consult with your GJM tax advisor to understand the impact as it relates to your personal situation. You can learn more about GJM's tax experts and our team capabilities here.

Established in 1996, Gilmore Jasion Mahler, LTD (GJM) is the largest public accounting firm in Northwest Ohio, with offices in Maumee and Findlay. Locally owned, GJM offers cloud-based accounting and provides comprehensive services including assurance, business advisory, tax, risk advisory, healthcare management and outsourced accounting. The firm’s professionals specialize in industries including construction & real estate, healthcare, manufacturing & distribution and utilities.