Inherited Retirment (IRA) Account (non-spouse)

[mblatz01]

When my mother passed she left an IRA account that got split up among the kids. I just read an article with the sentence: "If you leave retirement money to your kids or anyone other than your spouse, they’re typically required to empty the accounts by the end of the 10th year following the year of your death."

Is this correct? It is the first time I have ever come across this requirement in the (almost!) 10 years since her death.

[MinhT1 · Accepted solution]

The 10-year rule only applies when the account holder died after 2019. 

The SECURE Act made changes to the RMDs for beneficiaries if the death of the account holder occurred after 2019.

If your mother passed away before 2020, the old rules apply

These rules are:

Non-spouse beneficiary options

If the account holder's death occurred prior to the required beginning date (or if the account is a Roth IRA), the non-spouse beneficiary's options are:

• Take distributions based on their own life expectancy, beginning the end of the year following the year of death, or
• Follow the 5-year rule

If the account holder's death occurred after the required beginning date, the non-spouse beneficiary may:

• Take distributions based on the longer of their own life expectancy or the account owner's remaining life expectancy.

Please read this IRS document for more information.