Accounting
IRS and Social Security rules for IRA bridge strategy
For some clients, taking distributions from their traditional individual retirement accounts before retirement may be a bridge too far. For others, the strategy could lead them from pre-retirement jitters to higher Social Security benefits and lower taxes a decade or more down the road.
That’s because the array of rules and figures outlined in the slideshow below add up to complex calculations that vary greatly among clients whose financial advisors and tax professionals may want
The thicket of financial calculations, IRS guidelines, Medicare rules and long-term planning involved with deciding when to begin withdrawals and Social Security benefits shows the need for careful, individualized advice, according to four experts who spoke with Financial Planning.
The last two months of a year mark an especially good time to discuss the possibilities of the bridge with clients. Prior to New Year’s Day, factors such as the level of capital gains, investment dividends, business-related transactions or job situations are coming into focus, said Valerie Escobar, a senior wealth advisor with Kansas City, Missouri-based advisory practice
“As we’re approaching the end of the year, you have a better sense of what your income picture is going to look like,” Escobar said. “Having that clarity of the picture makes the year-end the best time to be looking at that.”
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“Those are a great example of something that you really only get one chance to make the right decision,” Wood said. “Once you make your decision, you are very much going to be stuck with that decision.”
In addition, those considerations often determine whether clients get stuck with “stealth taxes” on their benefits and whether they have to pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount on their Medicare premiums according to Sarah Brenner, the director of retirement education with retirement consulting firm
Once traditional IRA owners reach 59½ years old — or the age they must be to avoid getting “whacked with a 10% penalty” for a withdrawal, unless they’re for certain exceptions — they’re going to be thinking through how the distribution affects their income.
“It bumps up what you’re going to pay for Medicare,” Brenner said. “One thing they hate is IRMAA charges.”
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Other than a general rule that claiming Social Security benefits while still employed is not usually a good idea, Heather Schreiber, the founder of advanced planning consulting firm
“First of all, I’d say, ‘Don’t listen to your neighbor,'” Shreiber said. “Everyone’s decision is very unique to them. I really don’t have an, ‘Everyone should file at X date.'”
For a rundown of the key numbers involved with the IRA “bridge” strategy to claiming bigger Social Security benefits later, scroll down the cardshow. To read FP’s year-end tax planning feature, “A primer on the IRA ‘bridge’ to bigger Social Security benefits,”
McKinstry is a longtime veteran of Wolters Kluwer, having served numerous leadership positions with the firm even prior to becoming CEO, first coming into the company in the 90s. She has been CEO of the company’s operations in North America; President and CEO of Legal Information Services (currently part of Wolters Kluwer’s Governance, Risk & Compliance division); and product management positions with CCH Inc., now part of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. She has also been a member of the Executive Board since June 1, 2001.
She became CEO in 2003 and has maintained the position since then.
The Supervisory Board plans to nominate Caywood, the intended successor, as a member of the Executive Board during its May 15, 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. After appointment by Wolters Kluwer’s shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on May 15, 2025, the Executive Board of Wolters Kluwer N.V. will consist of McKinstry (CEO, until February 2026), Kevin Entricken (CFO) and Caywood. The plan is that Caywood will then be appointed CEO of Wolters Kluwer once McKinstry officially retires in February. 2026.
McKinsky said she was grateful for the chance to lead Wolters Kluwer through decades worth of changes, and expressed confidence in her intended successor.
“It has been an honor and privilege to lead Wolters Kluwer through decades of transformation as the market has evolved, and I am committed to ensuring the company’s continued strength and relevance,” said McKinstry. “I am deeply grateful to the Board and my past and present colleagues for their support throughout my tenure. We have a strong foundation in place and, with Stacey, an extraordinarily talented and experienced successor. Stacey’s track record as a leader, her customer-focused approach, and her deep knowledge of our company gives me full confidence that Wolters Kluwer will be in excellent hands under her leadership. I am dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition over the next year.”
The intended new CEO, Caywood, specializes in business transformation, digital revenue growth, and innovation across legal, compliance, and healthcare markets. Her expertise spans strategy execution, portfolio management and M&A, product innovation, and commercial excellence. She has led Wolters Kluwer Health since 2020, where she led the further evolution and development of Wolters Kluwer’s healthcare solutions. Prior to that, as CEO of Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory, she led a strategic transformation across Europe and the U.S., returning the business to organic growth.
“We are delighted to nominate Stacey Caywood as Wolters Kluwer CEO, effective February 2026,” said Ann Ziegler, Chair of the Wolters Kluwer Supervisory Board. “Stacey’s successful track record leading two of our largest divisions, her deep understanding of our business, and her active role in developing the group’s 2025-2027 strategic plan make her the ideal candidate to lead the company into the future. For over thirty years, Stacey has held various leadership roles within the company, and we have full confidence in her ability to continue Wolters Kluwer’s legacy of sustainable value creation through excellence and innovation. We look forward to working closely with Stacey and supporting her in this new role.”
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board posted a new “
AS 2310, The Auditor’s Use of Confirmation, and Other Amendments to PCAOB, replaces an interim standard, AS 2310, The Confirmation Process, and is effective for audits of financial statements for fiscal years ending on or after June 15, 2025. The results of the knowledge checks are anonymous, and the PCAOB staff will not publicize results or use them in its oversight activities.
This knowledge check is the latest in a series of resources, including staff presentations, to help auditors prepare for implementation. Earlier this month, the PCAOB posted another
More implementation resources on AS 2310 and other PCAOB standards and rules can be found at the
The International Accounting Standards Board issued an update Thursday to the International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sized Entities Accounting Standard which aims to balance the needs of leaders and users of SMEs’ financial statements with resources available to SMEs.
The standard, currently required or permitted in 85 jurisdictions, defines SMEs as entities without public accountability that prepare general purpose financial statements.
A result of a periodic and comprehensive review of the standard, the update includes:
- a revised model for revenue recognition;
- bringing together the requirements for fair value measurement in a single location; and,
- updating the requirements for business combinations, consolidations and financial instruments.
“The update to the IFRS for SMEs Accounting Standard will improve the information provided to users of SMEs’ financial statements while maintaining the simplicity of the standard,” said IASB chair Andreas Barckow in a statement.
This update is effective for annual periods beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2027, with early application permitted.
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