Required Minimum Distributions

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) generally are minimum amounts that a retirement plan account owner must withdraw annually starting with the year that he or she reaches 72 (70 ½ if you reach 70 ½ before January 1, 2020), if later, the year in which he or she retires. However, if the retirement plan account is an IRA or the account owner is a 5% owner of the business sponsoring the retirement plan, the RMDs must begin once the account holder is age 72 (70 ½ if you reach 70 ½ before January 1, 2020), regardless of whether he or she is retired.

Retirement plan participants and IRA owners, including owners of SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs, are responsible for taking the correct amount of RMDs on time every year from their accounts, and they face stiff penalties for failure to take RMDs.

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Set ‘Em and Forget ‘Em: Four Financial Resolutions You Can Accomplish Now

 
New Year’s resolutions are a mixed bag for many of us. On the one hand: personal betterment! On the other hand: methodical auditing of our refrigerator, checking account, and various vices. On the cusp of a fresh calendar year, we feel compelled to immediately transform our lives, but— as is the case with most good things— change takes time. This is especially true when it comes to financial goals. And in the aftermath of steep holiday spending, our goalposts can feel...far away.
 
If you want a few financial resolutions that you can achieve early into the new year (because who doesn’t love an easy to-do list?) here are some suggestions.

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7 Tips to Get Smart About Credit

If you are dealing with credit and debt, you aren’t alone. You have a great opportunity to assess your financial situation and make a plan to move forward. The average American household has a balance of about $6,600 in credit card debt, and that’s not taking into account home, auto, and student loans. Paying off your debt is successful with a little planning. In fact, a plan can go a long way toward achieving your financial goals. Even in a time of financial uncertainty, there are ways to address and manage credit so it works for you.

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A Letter From Our CEO: 85 Years of Smarter Banking

This year marks our 85th year of helping members thrive! We’re celebrating this remarkable milestone by recognizing you, our members, for contributing to our success all these years.

Lockheed Aircraft Employees Credit Union was chartered by twelve Lockheed employees in 1937, just as the country was climbing its way out of the Great Depression. Our members – then, all Lockheed employees – found safety, financial value, and excellent service in the years that followed and this continues to be true 85 years later.

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How Do Fed Rates Affect Financial Institutions?

To understand how the federal funds rate or "Fed rate" affects banks and credit unions, we first need to understand what the federal funds rate is and its role in the financial world. The Federal Government requires all depository institutions, like banks and credit unions, to have a minimum reserve level in proportion to their deposits. Those that do not have enough reserves borrow from other financial institutions that do. The Fed rate is the interest rate banks charge when lending money to each other from their reserve balance. 

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