July 21, 2024 | Tax Code Change for Emergency Retirement Withdrawals

Low-income Americans are in such dire straits due to the elevated cost of living that lawmakers are making changes to the tax code. No, naturally, the politicians are not voting to decrease taxes for those who can barely get by. Instead, they’re permitting Americans to pull a mere $1,000 out of their retirement accounts without penalty.

Those withdrawing emergency funds from a 401K will need to explain their hardship to their employer, but employers do not need to approve the withdrawal. The government will tax the $1,000 if it is not paid back within three years and no additional emergency withdrawals may be taken out until the money is paid back in full.

The economy is shifting into a world of haves and have-nots as the middle class diminishes. A January 2024 survey found that 60% of Americans had less than $500 in liquidity, with only 12% possessing over 12%. The debt vortex is unforgiving and all too many Americans have become trapped in a cycle of perpetually servicing new debt, similar to our Federal Reserve.

A Vanguard study found that 3.6% of the 5 million retirement accounts on record made an emergency withdrawal in 2023, moving upward from 2.8% the year prior. Bank of America and Fidelity reported similar findings last year on a quarterly basis. These people may be subjected to a 10% tax due to the early distribution because chances are they will be unlikely to pay back the funds. Credit card debt has reached a historic high in the US among every income level, so this last resort option has become unavoidable for many.

This program is an insult to the American people who contribute to our system with nothing in return. These same people who do not have a mere $1,000 for an emergency are paying into the giant Ponzi scheme that is Social Security with each paycheck. They must pay for Medicare and Medicare even if they will never use the services. They’re likely subject to an income tax depending on their state regardless of income level.  If accounting for a population of 335 million, the average American has paid about $522 in taxes toward Ukraine alone. The US is paying about $1,700 per month per illegal migrant welcomed in by the open border policy.

Then Uncle Sam comes around every April and gives the lowest paid Americans a tax refund check, failing to acknowledge that they preventing those Americans from earning interest on that money that they desperately needed. It is a grand lie that the socialist-leaning politicians care about the working man when their social programs and handouts guarantee tax increases on everyone. It is a shame that those attempting to do right by society and not leaning entirely on government assistance are punished by our tax code.

Martin Armstrong July 21st, 2024

Posted In: Armstrong Economics

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