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IRS Adds Income Changes to CTC Update Portal and Announces Signup Deadline

Families who are currently receiving advance payments of the 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC) may now use the online CTC Update Portal (link below) to report changes in their incomes. Reporting an income change may qualify taxpayers for a higher monthly payment amount, or ensure that they do not need to repay advance CTC payments next spring.

The maximum monthly payment is $300 per child qualified under age 6, and $250 per qualifying child of age 6 through 17. Generally, a small change in income will not affect a household's payment amount. However, if you have not been receiving the maximum amount and had a significant income drop in 2021, you may qualify for a substantially larger December payment.

Similarly, if your income greatly increased in 2021 compared to 2020, you should report this change to avoid potentially facing an advance CTC repayment requirement. You must use the portal to report your income changes by November 29 in order for the IRS to make any necessary adjustments to your December payment. The IRS expects to launch a Spanish version of the portal by that time.

Eligible families who have not been receiving advance CTC payments because the IRS does not have their information may still register for the program. The IRS especially urges lower-income taxpayers who are not required to file tax returns to use the online signup portal (link below) by the November 15 deadline. Those who sign up in November will receive a single advance payment in December, of up to $1,800 per qualifying child under 6, and $1,500 per qualifying child age 6-17.

IRS CTC UPDATE PORTAL: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal

IRS CTC SIGNUP PORTAL: https://www.whitehouse.gov/child-tax-credit/sign-up/

Year-End 2021 Retirement Plan RMD Planning – Did You Know?

Many taxpayers who hold traditional IRAs or other retirement accounts must make annual withdrawals called Required Minimum Distributions, or RMDs. The CARES Act waived most RMDs for tax year 2020, and also created special tax rules for 2020 RMDs that were reclassified as "coronavirus-related distributions." Those special provisions have now expired, so standard IRS rules apply for 2021 RMDs.

In general, taxpayers with traditional IRAs or certain other retirement plans must take a 2021 RMD if they either (a) reached age 70 1/2 in 2019 or before, or (b) reach age 72 in 2021. As a rule, RMDs are taxable income, usually at the person's ordinary income tax rate.

In addition, someone who inherited an IRA from a person who died before 2020 generally must take a 2021 RMD, regardless of their age. If you inherited a retirement plan from someone who died on or after January 1, 2020, you may either need to take annual RMDs or withdraw all funds from the account within 10 years, depending on your circumstances. These rules apply to both traditional and Roth inherited IRAs, although RMDs from Roth IRAs may not be taxed.

For most people, the deadline to take 2021 RMDs is December 31, 2021. However, those who turn 72 this year generally have until April 1, 2022 to take their first RMD. If this exception applies to you, keep in mind that you will need to take your second RMD by December 31, 2022. Therefore, you may end up owing tax on both your first and second RMDs in 2022. Taking your first RMD in 2021 will prevent this issue.

RMD amounts depend on the recipient's age and other factors. A tax professional can help you determine whether you must take a 2021 RMD or other IRA withdrawal, how to calculate the amount, and how to report the withdrawal to the IRS.

Don't Have a Retirement Plan? Maybe a SEP Is the Answer. Like many small business owners, you probably find yourself very busy in the wake of the COVID slowdown and are getting back up to speed. But don’t forget about your future.