Special Webinar Question: Other Tax-Advantaged Retirement Plans

Posted by Adam Scherer, CFP®, MS

Jun 11, 2020

This question is a part of BIF's Special Webinar series which was created to help students affected by the July 2020 CFP® Exam postponement to September 2020.


Jack and Jill, each age 45, want to make maximum contributions to traditional IRA this year. Their MAGI this year is $175,000. Jill’s employer maintains a profit-sharing plan with a 401(k) option. Jill has suspended elective deferrals into the 401(k) but she received $1,000 into her profit-sharing account from reallocated forfeitures. Jack’s employer does not sponsor a retirement plan. What is the maximum deduction Jack and Jill may claim if they each contribute $6,000 to their respective IRAs?

  1. $6,000 deduction
  2. $12,000 deduction
  3. $0 deduction
  4. $11,000 deduction

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Correct answer: A. $6,000 deduction


Instructor insight:

There are two deduction phaseout thresholds applicable in this example. Even though Jill has suspended her Section 401(k) deferrals she is still considered an active participant because her account was credited with $1,000 in reallocated forfeitures. Her applicable deduction phaseout threshold is $104,000 to $124,000. Their MAGI of $175,000 precludes Jill from deducting any of her IRA contribution.

Jack is not an active participant in an employer sponsored plan. His applicable IRA deduction phaseout threshold is $196,000 to $206,000. Their MAGI is below the entry threshold; therefore, they can deduct Jack’s full IRA contribution of $6,000.


CFP® Exam insight:

In an exam question of this nature, it is critical to read carefully to determine the type of plan in which an employee is participating. Also illustrated in this question is that annual additions include any reallocated forfeitures.

 

Topics: Practice Questions