For many people, 2020 has meant leaving a job. Some jobs have disappeared. Some workers are taking early retirement. This means that many workers are receiving distributions from employer plans. Many individuals may assume that the right move is to roll over those retirement funds to an IRA. Not so fast! For many people, a rollover will be a smart decision. However, don’t assume that is always the way to go. In some cases, as strange as it may sound, taking a lump sum distribution and paying taxes is a smart choice. You may be wondering how that could be possible. Well, a tax break called Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) may make taking that lump sum distribution a good choice in 2020.
For trusts that inherited an IRA in 2019, an important deadline is approaching. October 31, 2020 is the due date to provide required trust documentation to the IRA custodian to ensure that the longest payout period possible is available for the inherited IRA.
Generally, only individuals who are named on an IRA beneficiary form can be designated beneficiaries. A trust is not an individual but if the trust qualifies as a "look through" or "see-through" trust, then each individual beneficiary of the trust can qualify as a designated beneficiary for IRA distribution purposes. For trusts that inherited in 2019, prior to the enactment of the SECURE Act in 2020, this would allow each trust beneficiary to stretch payments over the life expectancy of the oldest beneficiary.
Question:
Would you kindly clarify the rule that governs the withdrawal period and the tax implication (if any) of RMDs from an inherited IRA? The SECURE Act and the IRS document 590B are not clear.
Here is the situation: I have a traditional IRA with my granddaughter as the sole beneficiary. My understanding is that before the SECURE Act, inherited IRA's had to issue annual RMD's if the original owner was taking them. The SECURE Act seems to say that annual RMD's are no longer required to be taken by a non-spouse beneficiary, just as long as the account is fully distributed in the 10-year period.
Times are tough. Unemployment is high and bills are piling up for many. These realities have forced a lot of people to look for sources of extra cash. For many Americans, their IRA is their biggest, or maybe only, savings available. It may be tempting to consider tapping into it in these challenging times. Distributions taken before age 59 ½ are subject to a 10% early distribution penalty.
A significant percentage of IRA assets will ultimately go to nonspouse beneficiaries. When these beneficiaries inherit the funds, special rules kick in. Inherited IRAs are not like other IRA accounts. Here is what you need to know if you inherited an IRA from someone who is not your spouse:
1. You should consider all your options before doing anything with your inherited IRA. If you inherit an IRA, you need to move cautiously. You have time to make decisions, so don’t rush. You will want to notify the IRA custodian of the death of the IRA owner if that has not already happened.
Question:
Does the SECURE Act have any implication to Roth IRA account inheritance longevity? Please let me know. Thank you.
Regards,
Vikram
Answer:
Hi Vikram,
The SECURE Act does affect inherited Roth IRAs in the same way it affects inherited traditional IRAs. Most beneficiaries who inherit a Roth IRA in 2020 or later will be subject to a 10-year payout period.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, or maybe even because of it, real estate markets in many areas of the country are busy right now. If you are considering jumping in, and if this is your first home purchase, coming up with a down payment can be daunting. Here is how an IRA can help a first-time homebuyer.
Exceptions to the 10% Penalty
IRAs are supposed to be for saving for retirement.
The upcoming school year for many students is going to look like nothing we have ever seen before. For many, computers and related technology will become an indispensable part of academic life. This means that having reliable equipment and internet access is more important than ever. For many families this is just another unexpected expense in a pandemic economy. Here is how an ESA could help.
Question:
In December of 2018 I did my first partial Roth IRA conversion into a new Roth IRA. I’m older than 59 ½.
In December of 2019 I did my second partial Roth IRA conversion into the same Roth IRA opened in December of 2018. The traditional and Roth IRA’s are held at the same company, so the conversions are easy. Does the 5-year waiting period apply to each conversion, or just the first one?
Answer:
We get a lot of questions about the five-year rule for Roth IRA distributions! What makes this area so confusing is that there are, in fact, two different five-year rules that may come into play.
We are in the dog days of summer and this year is a crazy and unsettling time. The last thing on your mind may be your IRA. However, you should be aware that an important deadline is quickly approaching. If you took your 2020 required minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA and now want to repay it, your time may be running out. The deadline for these three repayment remedies is August 31.
1. Repay more than one RMD distribution. Normally, you are limited to rolling over only one IRA distribution in a one-year period. If you take multiple distributions during this period, you are typically out of luck. However, these are not normal times! In Notice 2020-51, the IRS waives the one-per-year rule for 2020 RMDs. This is good news if you took your RMD in multiple distributions, which many people do.
Content Citation Guidelines
Below is the required verbiage that must be added to any re-branded piece from Ed Slott and Company, LLC or IRA Help, LLC. The verbiage must be used any time you take text from a piece and put it onto your own letterhead, within your newsletter, on your website, etc. Verbiage varies based on where you’re taking the content from.
Please be advised that prior to distributing re-branded content, you must send a proof to [email protected] for approval.
For white papers/other outflow pieces:
Copyright © [year of publication], [Ed Slott and Company, LLC or IRA Help, LLC – depending on what it says on the original piece] Reprinted with permission [Ed Slott and Company, LLC or IRA Help, LLC – depending on what it says on the original piece] takes no responsibility for the current accuracy of this information.
For charts:
Copyright © [year of publication], Ed Slott and Company, LLC Reprinted with permission Ed Slott and Company, LLC takes no responsibility for the current accuracy of this information.
For Slott Report articles:
Copyright © [year of article], Ed Slott and Company, LLC Reprinted from The Slott Report, [insert date of article], with permission. [Insert article URL] Ed Slott and Company, LLC takes no responsibility for the current accuracy of this article.
Please contact Matt Smith at [email protected] or (516) 536-8282 with any questions.
