2 RMD Questions

Submitted by B Lee on Fri, 2023-04-14 18:00

#1 Both my spouse and me turn 73 in 2024, Instead taking my 1st RMD that year, I will take my 1st RMD before 04/15/25 and another before 12/31/25 by using my balance on 12/31/24 and my age 74 factor to calculate both RMDs. My spouse will convert all Tradition 401K/IRA balances to Roth IRA in 2024 either before or after 73rd birthday. Is there a problem in 2015 as there is no more balance to do RMD (since 12/31/24 would have zero balance)?

-Pertaining to above question. If spouse birthday is 02/28, must spouse do Roth conversion at least 1 day before
reaching 73 or can do it up to 04/15?

#2 I have more Tradition IRA balance than my spouse. During any years when both turned 73 or older, can I add
my spouse RMD & my RMD and withdraw the total from 1 of my Traditional IRAs to satisfy both of our RMD requirement?



Submitted by David Mertz on Fri, 2023-04-14 18:54

  • The RMD for 2024 is to be calculated using the 2023 year-end balance and your age-73 factor (26.5), not the 2024 year-end balance and not the age-74 factor, even if this first RMD is delayed until 2025.
  • Any Roth conversion in 2024 must be done only *after* the RMD for 2024 has been satisfied.  Amounts distributed in 2024 are RMD until the RMD is satisfied and RMDs are not eligible for rollover.  (A Roth conversion is essentially a taxable rollover.)  Whoever wants to do a Roth conversion in 2024 cannot delay the first RMD until 2025. 
  • Each individual must satisfy their own RMD from their own IRAs.  One spouse cannot satisfy the RMD of the other spouse.  IRAs are not joint accounts and do not have joint obligations.

Submitted by Alan - IRA critic on Fri, 2023-04-14 19:44

Also, note that the RBD is 4/1 following the year a taxpayer reaches RMD age, not 4/15. Both of your RBDs are 4/1/2025, and both of you can defer all or any portion of your 2024 RMD until that date. The RMDs are taxable in the year distributed. To the extent that any of the 2024 RMD is deferred, the 12/31/2024 balance on which the 2025 RMD is based will be slightly higher than it would otherwise have been. 

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