Senior IRA and Pension Preservation Act of 2002

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 20, 2002

Senior IRA and Pension Preservation Act of 2002 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from 70 1/2 to 80 the age: (1) used in the definition of "required beginning date" utilized with respect to qualified pension, profit sharing, and stock bonus plans; (2) certain deceased employees would have reached (had they lived) before their spouses must begin receiving distributions from qualified pension plans; (3) at or above which an individual's qualified retirement contribution cannot be deducted from income; (4) above which an individual in whose name an endowment contract is purchased must mature, in order to be treated as an endowment contract; (5) even after which contributions to a Roth IRA in an individual's name can still be made; and (6) at least until which amounts will not be available to participants or beneficiaries in a Section 457 plan for the plan to count as an eligible deferred compensation plan.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Paul, Ron [R-TX-14] · R–TX

Committees

Ways and Means Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Jun 20, 2002
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Jun 20, 2002
Introduced in House
Jun 20, 2002
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Jun 20, 2002 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 19, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.4978 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss H.R.4978, 107th Congress: Senior IRA and Pension Preservation Act of 2002

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/4978

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2002-06-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/107/bills/hr4978/BILLS-107hr4978ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-19T17:31:30Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.4978 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.4978 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4978, 107th Congress: Senior IRA and Pension Preservation Act of 2002

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/4978

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2002-06-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/107/bills/hr4978/BILLS-107hr4978ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-19T17:31:30Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4978 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.4978 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4978, 107th Congress: Senior IRA and Pension Preservation Act of 2002

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/4978

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2002-06-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/107/bills/hr4978/BILLS-107hr4978ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-19T17:31:30Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4978 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.4978 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4978, 107th Congress: Senior IRA and Pension Preservation Act of 2002

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/4978

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2002-06-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/107/bills/hr4978/BILLS-107hr4978ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-19T17:31:30Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4978 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.