Inherited Spousal IRA RMD?
Question regarding how RMDs work with inherited spousal IRAs.
Working with a client who turns 72 this year, and will be eligible for their first RMD. He has an inherited IRA that he received when his first wife passed away in 2011. At the time of her death, the wife was under the age to start taking RMDs, and is younger than the client.
When must RMDs begin from the inherited IRA? I’ve read that RMDs can be delayed until the age the original IRA owner would have turned age 72. Since she passed away in 2011, do the old RMD rules apply and the RMD must be taken when she would have turned age 70.5? And finally, I’m wondering if its the surviving spouse’s age that we use to calculate on the Uniform Lifetime table once RMDs begin. I’ve seen conflicting information and would appreciate any insight. Thank you.
Permalink Submitted by Alan - IRA critic on Sat, 2021-10-30 04:01
If the deceased spouse would not have reached 70.5 by the end of 2019, client’s beneficiary RMDs do not start until the age she would have reached 72.
In the year of the first required inherited IRA RMD, the single life table applies using the client’s age. The Uniform table only applies to IRA owners. Once the year arrives for the first inherited IRA RMD, that RMD can be reduced considerably by assuming ownership of the inherited IRA since that will result in the Uniform Table applying for that year and later years. Uniform Table RMDs are considerly lower than inherited IRA RMDs once inherited IRA RMDs begin.