Avoid Rollovers of IRA CDs
A new tax rule could create problems for investors who roll money from matured IRA certificates of deposit into new IRA CDs.

It's not unusual for a retiree to own multiple IRA certificates of deposit at once. When one CD matures, the bank will likely close the IRA and hand you a distribution check. You then roll the money into a new IRA CD, often at another bank that's offering a higher interest rate. You repeat the process when the next CD expires. A new court ruling, however, can foul up the process.
Until recently, if you owned more than one IRA, you could roll over each one once a year. As long as you completed the switch within 60 days of the payout, there was no tax. Now, thanks to a U.S. Tax Court opinion, such IRA CD rollovers could be "very risky" for older investors, says Natalie Choate, an estate-planning lawyer with Nutter, McClennen and Fish, in Boston.
The court ruled that the once-a-year rollover limit applies to the investor, not to the individual IRA. No matter how many IRAs you own, only one rollover is permitted in any 12-month period. The IRS announced it will not enforce the ruling until 2015.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
You can avoid trouble by using direct IRA-to-IRA transfers rather than 60-day rollovers. With a transfer, the first bank with the maturing CD sends the money directly to the second bank, and you are never in possession of the money. "You can make as many direct transfers in a year as you want without any worries," says Jeffrey Levine, IRA technical consultant with Ed Slott and Co., in Rockville Centre, N.Y.
To use the direct-transfer method, first find out when your CD matures. Then find a bank with a better rate. Before the old CD comes due, open an IRA at the second bank and ask about any paperwork you must fill out to transfer the money. Make sure the second bank does not send the paperwork until the CD matures, or you'll likely pay an early-withdrawal penalty. If you want to stick with the same bank, ask about its transfer procedure.
Although the IRS says it will hold off enforcing the new rule, Levine encourages IRA owners to follow it immediately. It's unclear when the 365-day clock begins. For instance, if you do a rollover in September this year and then another in March, it's possible the IRS could look at the March rollover as the second one in the 12-month period.
Haven't yet filed for Social Security? Create a personalized strategy to maximize your lifetime income from Social Security. Order Kiplinger’s Social Security Solutions today.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

-
The Truth About the Dark Side of Rooftop Solar Panels
Rampant bankruptcies in the solar panel industry have left many consumers with systems that don't work and no way to get them fixed. Worse, they're being hounded to keep paying despite not receiving what they were promised. What can they do?
-
Six Big Beautiful Opportunities: Advisers' Guide to Tax and Client Strategies
Here are several ways financial professionals can help their clients maximize opportunities in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which extends key TCJA provisions, introduces increased deductions for people 65 and older and more.
-
Ask the Editor, August 1: Tax Questions on Standard Deductions
Ask the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, we answer tax questions from readers on claiming standard deductions on your tax return.
-
Ask the Editor, July 25: Questions on Four New Tax Deductions
Ask the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, we answer tax questions from readers on four new tax deductions in the "One Big Beautiful Bill."
-
Five Ways Trump’s 2025 Tax Bill Could Boost Your Tax Refund (or Shrink It)
Tax Refunds The tax code is changing again, and if you’re filing for 2025, Trump’s ‘big beautiful’ bill could mean a bigger refund, a smaller one or something in between next year. Here are five ways the new law could impact your bottom line.
-
Ask the Editor, July 18: Questions on the $6,000 Senior Deduction
Ask the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, we answer tax questions from readers on the new $6,000 deduction for taxpayers 65 and older.
-
Ask the Editor, July 17: Tax Questions on the New Tax Law
Ask the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, we answer tax questions from readers on the new tax law.
-
Ask the Editor, July 4: Tax Questions on Inherited IRAs
Ask the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, we answer tax questions from readers on the rules on inheriting IRAs.
-
Amazon Resale: Where Amazon Prime Returns Become Your Online Bargains
Feature Amazon Resale products may have some imperfections, but that often leads to wildly discounted prices.
-
IRS Watchdog: Three Problems the IRS Must Address in 2025
IRS The tax season is over, but new changes to the IRS can pose risks to your taxpayer experience.