Non-Spouse Inherited Roth IRA

Son inherits a Roth IRA from his Mother (she was 80 when she passed). Does the son now have to take required minimum distributions for ten years, making sure to withdrawal the entire amount by year ten; or, does he have the option to just take the money in any year he chooses or all in year ten? Also, do you use the SLE table and only distribute the required amount each year or do you try to exhaust the account equally over the ten year period so as not to get hit with a larger distribution in year ten? Thank you for your advice.



  • Since this is a Roth IRA, there are no annual RMDs to take in years 1-9 of the 10 year rule. In addition, since the inherited Roth is sure to be qualified after year 5 if not sooner and the final distribution in year 10 will be tax free, there is no need to avoid waiting until the end of year 10 to take a full distribution. More time in the Roth equates to more potential gains being tax free.
  • Many of your questions are likely to apply to inherited traditional IRAs. For those accounts if death is after the RBD, the beneficiary will have to take annual RMDs in years 1-9, and perhaps should take out even more to avoid a large taxable distribution in year 10. This does not apply to inherited Roth IRAs which do not have RBDs and distributions will be non taxable.

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