Inherited Roth IRA

HI,

My sister passed away 12/27/21. She was born 7/4/62. I inherited her Roth IRA. It had been open more than 5 years. I am only 5 years younger than her. So i am thinking i am a eligible designated beneficiary. I want to do my RMD’s over my life time.

I did not take any RMD in 2022. Since I did not take out the RMD am I still eligible to do this? Also, I have read that the IRS is now forgiving RMD’s that were not taken in 2022 because tax payers were confused as when to take it out. Is this true? Would I be eligible for this? Or does only apply to RMD’s not take on the 10 year rule? Also would the first RMD if I had taken it out been based on the ending balance of my sister’s account on 12/31/21?

Thanks so much for your help!



  • Since you are an EDB, you need to make up the missed 2022 beneficiary RMD. The RMDs that the IRS agreed to waive the penalties for involved 10 year rule beneficiaries. As an EDB you are not a 10 year rule beneficiary. Therefore, you should make up the missed 2022 RMD, and file Form 5329 requesting the penalty waiver. Be sure you read the line 54 and 55 instructions since they are not intuitive.
  • You are correct that the 2022 RMD is based on the 12/31/2021 balance even though the Roth was still in sister’s name on that date. Use your attained age in 2022 to get the divisor from the new single life table effective in 2022.
  • All your distributions will be tax free since the inherited Roth is qualified. Report only the amount distributed on line 4a of Form 1040. Form 8606 is not needed.

I really appreciate the help! It really helped out!If I add up all the accounts I was supposed to take RMD’s from and add all the RMD’s up I was supposed to take out can I take that amount from just one account? Also, can I take it from traditional IRA account instead of a Roth IRA? Would that count for my Roth IRA’s?Thanks so much!

For accounts that you inherited from your sister that she owned and was not a beneficiary herself, and from which you established your own inherited IRA by 12/31/2022, you can take your total beneficiary RMD from just one of those accounts. However, you cannot take a inherited Roth RMD from a traditional inherited IRA. Inherited traditional IRA RMDs must be satisfied separately from inherited Roth IRA RMDs.

When my sister passed 12/27/21 she left my Mom a Roth IRA. My Mom was 83 at the time. Since she is not a EDB to my sister, she would have been subject to the 10 year rule? Meaning Mom would have had to take out all the money within ten years, and had to take out RMD’s every year correct? Mom never took out any RMD’s. Since she didn’t take out the 2022 RMD on the 10 year rule, the IRS waived that RMD for that year correct? So that doesn’t have to be taken out or paid back correct? (any forms need to be filed?) Mom passed away 12/26/22 at age 84. I am now inheriting my Moms Roth IRA that she got from my Sister. I am not a EDB with my Mom. Now am I subject to the 10 year rule? Or since my Sister was the original Roth owner of the IRA, and I would qualify as a EDB with her, would I be able to take distribution’s over my life time?Thanks so much for your help, its truly appreciated!

For Moms tax return what forms would I need For the RMD? Also, when I take out Mom’s RMD do I have to pay a penalty? If so, how can I get it waived? Thanks so much!

For the Roth IRA that went from my Sister to my Mom to Me. I have to take out my Mom’s missed 2022 Rmd (2021 final balance / my Mom’s 8.7 divisor) by 4/18/23. Then next year on my 2023 taxes I have to report the distribution on form 1099R. Then going forward since my Sister is the original owner who passed before her Rmd, I can let it grow without any annual Rmd’s. On the Roth and Traditional IRA that went from my Sister to Me, in which I am a EDB, that I missed the 2022 Rmds. I have to take out the missed 2022 Rmds (2021 final balance/my age divisor in 2022). (I was 54 in 2022, what was divisor number from the new single life table effective in 2022?) I have to take 2 separate distributions one from the Roth IRA, and one from the Traditional IRA.  Then for my tax returns for 2022, I have to file form 5329 requesting a penalty waiver. (I looked at the form and didn’t see a place to ask for a penalty waiver I did look at line 54 and 55. Any suggestion?)I also report for 2022 tax returns the amounts distributed from the Roth and Traditional Rmds on line 4a of form 1040. (or is this only for Roth IRAs?what line and what form for Traditional Rmds?) Then going forward even though my Sister passed before her Rmd, since I am a EDB, each year I have to take out a annual Rmd. It is based on the final account balance of the year before / by my age and divisor from the New Single Life table for that year.Hopefully, this all correct.I am very very grateful Allen! Thanks so much! 

I was 54 in 2022, what was the divisor number from the new single life table effective 2022? I figured out how to do form 5329, and 1040 4a line. Can please tell me above the “To Sum Up” is that all correct? Thanks again Allen!

You have been tremendous!I am ever so grateful and thankfu!D

For the 2022 Tax return that I missed the RMD, on 1040 4A line do I leave blank and fill out 5329. Or do I put in the RMD amount that I should have taken out on 1040 4 A line and also file form 5329?Also going forward when is the Rmd’s due? In April tax deadline or by December 31st of that year? 

Thanks Allen!!

Add new comment

Log in or register to post comments