The Retirement Savings Time Bomb...and How to Defuse It [Paperback]

Ed Slott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 30, 2003

For baby boomers reaching retirement age and the millions of other Americans who keep most of their assets invested in IRAs, 401(k)s, and similar retirement plans, financial expert Ed Slott’s eye-opening guide is a must-have resource to help protect those savings from the IRS. Through his simple 5-Step Action Plan, Ed Slott’s down-to-earth, clear-cut, and often humorous approach shows everyday investors how to distribute, roll over, withdraw, and secure their retirement savings (and their inherited nest eggs) against Uncle Sam.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As if the stock market hadn’t been bad enough lately, sinking and taking the nation’s retirement funds along with it, now IRA expert Slott has news of an additional nightmare: the IRS is eager to take a monstrous chunk out of whatever’s left. Slott asserts the importance of recognizing what he calls playing the back nine, or understanding that however much you’ve saved over the years, it won’t matter much if you haven’t protected it from the taxman. Indeed, the author shares the story of one schoolteacher whose heroic efforts to stash away $1.2 million for her two children went for naught when the IRS claimed all but $150,000 for each child. A few of Slott’s prescriptions: take your required distributions so you don’t get hit with additional taxes; buy life insurance to offset the estate taxes that will bite into your IRA upon your death; and take advantage of the Roth IRA, which hands you your money tax-free upon retirement. Though 401(k)s, IRAs and taxes in general are notoriously complicated subjects, Slott distills the morass of information into useful strategies while striking a note that’s alarmist enough to scare anyone with a retirement fund.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

As if the income tax code wasn't confusing enough, the tax law that governs the distribution of retirement accounts is even more incomprehensible. Our IRA or 401(k) accounts are often our most valuable asset, yet most people just assume these funds will be there when they're needed. But ignoring this part of your life could mean a costly loss to you or your beneficiaries, as a multitude of taxes could strip up to 90 percent of your retirement funds if some precautions are not taken. Slott is a real tax wizard, and has managed to decipher the code that lawmakers have thrown at us, where "to simplify" really means "to complicate." He spells out in fairly understandable terms the repercussions of IRA rollovers, Required Minimum Distributions, insurance, "Stretch IRAs," the "Death Tax," and other oh-so-boring yet absolutely essential information that can keep us legally one step ahead of the taxman. After taking these simple steps now to protect your wealth, keep this volume as a handy reference whenever major life changes occur that could affect your finances. David Siegfried
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (December 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142003778
• ISBN-13: 978-0142003770
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #596,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ed Slott was named "The Best" source for IRA advice by The Wall Street Journal and called "America's IRA Expert" by Mutual Funds Magazine. Ed is a widely recognized professional speaker and educator specializing in retirement distribution planning, teaching both financial advisors and consumers how to best take advantage of our complicated tax code.

Ed has created the nationally aired Public Television specials, including the all-new "Ed Slott's Retirement Rescue!", "Lower Your Taxes! Now and Forever", "Stay Rich for Life!" and "Stay Rich Forever & Ever with Ed Slott", which have been viewed by millions across America.

He also established the IRA Leadership Program and Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor Group, which were developed specifically to help financial institutions and advisors, financial advisor firms and insurance companies become recognized leaders in the IRA marketplace.

Ed is the author of The Retirement Savings Time Bomb and How to Defuse it (Penguin, 2012), Ed Slott's Retirement Decisions Guide: 2011 Edition (Ed Slott, 2010), Stay Rich for Life! (Ballantine Books, 2009), Parlay Your IRA Into a Family Fortune (Penguin, 2008), Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map (Ballantine Books, 2007), and Ed Slott's IRA Advisor, a monthly IRA newsletter. He also writes personal finance columns for numerous financial publications and co-authored an extensive special report with Harry Dent titled, Taxing Away Your Wealth.

Ed has been quoted in The New York Times, Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Time, Newsweek, Fortune Magazine, Forbes Magazine, Money Magazine, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, USA Today, Bloomberg Personal, Investor's Business Daily, Smart Money and a host of additional national magazines and financial publications. He has appeared on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, FOX, PBS, National Public Radio, and Bloomberg TV and radio.

You can learn more at: www.IRAhelp.com
Read informative articles at: www.theslottreport.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!, June 20, 2003

By 

Philip F. Quinn (West Islip, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Retirement Savings Time Bomb ...and How to Defuse It (Hardcover)

This book ought to be required reading for everyone who has a retirement plan. While many books and magazines cover how to build wealth, you can never really do that without considering taxes which are the ultimate bottom line. Mr. Slott deftly handles the subject of preserving wealth in a straightforward and quick witted style. Just as the vagaries of the IRS rules have you almost dozing off, Slott's sharp sense of humor snaps you back to the reality that hey-- it's your money, no one should, or will care more about it than you! If you're happy to see more of it go to the IRS rather than to yourself or to your heirs, then the IRS will be happy to accommodate you! Mr. Slott's five step plan is an alternative to that, which I'm sure most people would prefer. I feel so strongly about the value of this book, I bought extra copies to give to family members and friends. (I'm not parting with mine!)
Thank you, Mr. Slott.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent advice for sophisticated investors, November 16, 2006

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Retirement Savings Time Bomb...and How to Defuse It (Paperback)

Despite grand claims, most business books do not really provide specific plans for saving or making money. In contrast, Ed Slott recommends five tactics that could save you thousands of dollars. Even better, he shows you how to use a "stretch IRA" to create a financial legacy, so your heirs in future generations can gain a financial benefit from their inheritance. He defines key concepts in estate planning and offers great advice about the benefits of Roth IRAs. Even though this book is not light reading, we highly recommend it to sophisticated investors and any American taxpayer who is serious about keeping a large percentage of his or her estate from the clutches of Uncle Sam. One caveat: verify his advice with your tax professional. Slott published this book in 2003, and some tax laws have changed since then.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No one knows IRAs like Ed Slott, February 13, 2004

By 

Jets Fan (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Retirement Savings Time Bomb...and How to Defuse It (Paperback)

No one on the planet knows IRAs better than Ed Slott. Congress has made the rules so complicated, that IRA owner ARE sitting on a Time Bomb -- a tax bomb.

Without the proper tax planning, your heirs could stand to lose 70% due to the combined income and estate taxes. If you are fortunate enough that the annual minimum required IRA distributions are not your only source of income, hence you are leaving a bulk of the account intact each year for future growth, you could be doing a disservice to your children or grandchildren. Read Ed Slot's book.

Even your favorite charity could receive less than you expected. Read Ed Slott's book.

And by the way, whether your hard earned retirement savings is in an IRA, 401K or other similar deferred account, you should be reading Ed Slott's book.

I am a practicing CPA and I have read Ed Slott's book.