Managing taxes in retirement

[Toole744]

As we track our taxes during the year, should we find ourselves trending toward owing the IRS, is one option to sell from an IRA and withhold a higher amount to close the gap? We are in the 22 percent bracket and typically withhold that amount on withdrawals. But we might request 40 or 50 percent withholding if it looked like we might owe the IRS too much.

[ElizabethW2]

Hi!

I hope your day is going well!

Prepaying your taxes through the year ensures you don't end up with an Underpayment of Estimated Tax (UET) penalty when preparing the year's tax return.  To avoid that penalty, you want to make sure that you have prepaid (by way of withholdings from your retirement income or making estimated tax payments) at least 90% of the tax calculated on your tax return.  

Your estimate of 40-50% withholdings is high, in my opinion, given that the maximum income tax rate for 2023 is 37%.  Check out our TaxCaster here!  This application will allow you make entries of your estimated 2023 income and taxes withheld to determine any estimated balance due or refund for the year.  This will allow you to calculate the actual tax and not overpay with the higher percentages.

I hope this information answers your question.  If you found it helpful, please say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon below.  If you found it to be the best answer, please click on "Mark as Best Answer".

Elizabeth W., EA