IRS allows tax-free rebate withdrawals from IRAs

The Internal Revenue Service said that economic stimulus payments directly deposited to individual retirement accounts and other tax-favored accounts may be withdrawn tax- and penalty-free.The relief is designed to help taxpayers who may have been unaware that by choosing direct deposit for their entire regular tax refund, they were also choosing to have their stimulus payment directly deposited as well. The tax relief is available for amounts withdrawn from tax-favored accounts that are less than or equal to a taxpayer’s directly deposited stimulus payment.

To qualify for relief, the economic stimulus funds must be withdrawn by April 15, 2009, in most cases. Without this relief, taxes, penalties and other special rules would apply to amounts removed from these types of accounts. Regular tax refunds are not eligible for this relief.

Eligible tax-favored accounts include traditional and Roth IRAs, health savings accounts, Archer medical savings accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, and qualified tuition programs. Thus, a taxpayer whose $1,200 stimulus payment is directly deposited into their IRA can take out up to $1,200 from the IRA, tax-free and penalty-free.

In general, the deadline for these withdrawals is the due date or extended due date for filing a 2008 return. This means April 15, 2009, for most taxpayers, or Oct. 15, 2009, for those who obtain tax-filing extensions.

Details on reporting these withdrawals and claiming relief will be included in tax forms and instructions for 2008. Other details are in Announcement 2008-44 online at www.irs.gov.

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