Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Tax Court Imposes New Limitation on IRA Rollovers

By Amy Neifeld Shkedy and Rebecca Rosenberger Smolen
April 02, 2014

In Bobrow v. Commissioner, TC Memo 2014-21, by a decision issued Jan. 28, U.S. Tax Court Judge Joseph Nega surprisingly ruled that Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 408(d)(3)(B), which allows one tax-free 60-day rollover per year, applies to all of a taxpayer's IRAs, rather than to each IRA separately. This is a noteworthy decision because it directly conflicts with the widely held understanding of the rules applicable to 60-day rollovers by professionals in the industry, based on longstanding guidance on this topic provided to taxpayers in IRS Publication 590.

IRC Section 408(d) governs taxation of distributions from qualified retirement plans and IRAs. The general rule is that any amount distributed out to a taxpayer from his or her retirement plan benefit or IRA would be includible in such taxpayer's gross income (subject to relevant tax basis rules). However, IRC Section 408(d)(3)(A) allows the taxpayer to exclude from gross income any amount distributed from an IRA if the entire amount is subsequently paid into a qualifying IRA, individual retirement annuity, or retirement plan within 60 days of the day on which the taxpayer received the distribution. This 60-day tax-free rollover exception is often referred to as a “rollover contribution.” Pursuant to Section 408(d)(3)(B), such exception has always only been allowed once during every 12-month period, beginning on the date a taxpayer withdraws funds from an IRA.

This premium content is locked for Accounting and Financial Planning for Law Firms subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

Compliance Officers: Recent Regulatory Guidance and Enforcement Actions and Mitigating the Risk of Personal Liability Image

This article explores legal developments over the past year that may impact compliance officer personal liability.