The Retirement Savings Time Bomb . . . and How to Defuse It: A Five-Step Action Plan for Protecting Your IRAs, 401(k)s, and Other Retirement Plans from Near Annihilation by the Taxman » (Revised)

Ed Slott has been a CPA and financial advisor for more than twenty years, and his expertise is regularly consulted by major media outlets and corporations alike.

The premier guide for retirement and investment planning by "America's IRA Expert" (Mutual Funds magazine)-fully updated to reflect the recent tax rule changes

With the possible e xception of home property, the most valuable asset for most Americans is their retirement fund. Yet most people don't know that the IRS is waiting to grab up to 90 percent of their hard-earned retirement savings. Now, in this fully updated edition of The Retirement Savings Time Bomb, renowned tax advisor Ed Slott explains in clear-cut layman's terms what people need to know to keep their money and pass it on to their families.

Author's Note     vii
Introduction: Playing the "Back 9"     xi
Talking the Talk: A Foolproof Primer of Essential but Often Confusing Tax Terms and Definitions     1
What to Do with the Biggest Check You'll Ever Get     17
The Crime of the Century     19
What's Your Risk IQ?     25
Roll Over, Stay Put, or Withdraw?     34
Five Easy Steps to Protecting Your Retirement Savings from the Taxman     81
Step #1: Time It Smartly     83
Step #2: Insure It     148
Step #3: Stretch It     165
Step #4: Roth It     205
Step #5: Avoid the Death Tax Trap     240
When Things Don't Go as Planned     265
What to Do When S*** Happens     267
Resources     315
Appendices
IRS Joint Life Expectancy Tables     321
IRS Tax Forms and Publications You Should Have (and Where to Get 'Em)     347
Sample Beneficiary Designation Forms and "Stretch IRA" Beneficiary Information Sheet     351
Acknowledgments     357
About the Author     365
Index     369