Inheriting spouse's IRA - I'm under 59 1/2 years old, accounts over 5 years

@tealover753 - one question as it will help others that respond. 

You state your husband died this year, but was 72 years old and began his RMD last year.  But beginning 1/1/23, the rules changed and RMD wasn't required until turning 73 years old.  Can you please state his date of birth (or at least his birth year)? - that will end any potential confusion in reponses by others.  While he may have taken a distribution last year, it may not have been a RMD but then again it may have been - it depends on when he turned 72. 

" passed away at age 72 this year "

If he was 72 on his birthday last year, the RMDs have begun.

Sincxe his last date to take the first RMD is April   1 2023.you must take his first RMD of 2022 if he did not already take it, in which case you will have to ask IRS for a penalty waiver since it is after April 1.

If he was 72 on his birthday this year, there is no RMD.

@dmertzdoes the 10-year liquidation rule apply to a surviving spouse who maintains an Inherited IRA of their spouse? The rules are so complicated I can't figure it out.

It's also important to know if your husband died before April 1, 2023 which was his Required Beginning Date (RBD) for RMDs if he reached age 72 in 2022.

Don't be in a hurry to do anything with these inherited IRAs, you have until the end of 2024 to decide what to do.  Take the time to understand everything regarding your options and obligations.  However, if your husband reached age 72 in 2022 and died on or after April 1, 2023, you must complete your husband's 2023 RMD if he had not already done so.  The regular deadline for taking that RMD is December 31, 2023, but you get an automatic extension to the due date of your 2023 tax return, including extensions, to complete that RMD without penalty.

1 and 2.  A spouse under age 59½ would usually keep the traditional IRA as an inherited IRA so that distributions from the inherited traditional IRA would be penalty-free if taken before reaching age 59½.  You as spouse beneficiary would be an Eligible Designated Beneficiary and be required to take distributions based on your single life expectancy.  However, if the deceased spouse died before their RBD, you can opt into the 10-year rule and avoid annual RMDs until 2033.  Anytime prior to 2033 you could assume ownership of the IRA and treat it as your own by trustee-to-trustee transferring the inherited IRA into your own.  Opting into the 10-year rule would make sense if you will be reaching age 59½ before 2033, which I understand to be the case, or, even if you would not reach age 59½ before 2033, you know that you will not need distributions from the inherited traditional IRA between January 1, 2033 and the date that you reach age 59½.  Regardless, of the above, when you know that you will not need to spend any more money from the traditional IRA, it would likely make sense to assume ownership of the traditional IRA to stop any beneficiary RMDs.  You will be treated as owner the entire year that you assume ownership.

3.  In almost all cases it makes sense for a spouse beneficiary to treat an inherited Roth IRA as the surviving spouse's own.  In your case the 5-year qualification period has been met, so you would only have to wait until age 59½ to take out earnings without tax and penalty.  Earnings come out last.  Contribution basis comes out first, free of tax and penalty.  Only if you expect to need to spend the earnings in the Roth IRA before you reach age 59½ might it make sense to leave the Roth IRA as an inherited Roth IRA so that any distribution will be free of tax and penalty.

4.  You are never subject to a 10% early-distribution penalty on distributions from an inherited IRA.  If you assume ownership of the IRA, any taxable amounts distributed to you before you reach age 59½would be subject to the 10% early-distribution penalty (absent any other penalty exception).

fanfare is right, things used to be so much simpler before the SECURE Act added so many complications.

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your responses!

So, yes, my husband turned 72 late last year(1950) and started RMD at the end of December 22. Passed away on April 20th 23.  He would have been 73 this November. 

Therefore, no 10year or even 5year rules, and

If I choose inherited TRA IRA route, I will need to start distribution(single life expectancy table) by the end of this year, I cannot wait until 12/31 of the year 2024 to decide what to do, correct?

Cash out option: If I choose to cash out TRA IRA or ROTH, no 10% penalty for being under 59 1/2 , correct?

I find there are two kinds of inherited IRA,

one is Inherited IRA(maintain as a beneficiary) the other is Assuming IRA(treat it as my own).

I went to our bank to discuss my route , the branch manager had contacted their legal team,

and their answer was, 

I have only two options, which are

Cash IRA(s)    or

Roll over in my name (Assuming IRA as my own) - cannot distribute money until 59 1/2 without penalty.

Rolling over in this case means Spousal transfer, which treats it as my own IRA.

and kept telling me that they need to close his TRA/ROTH IRA accounts, upon which they automatically become an Inherited IRA ... which I didn't understand why they don't know about Inherited IRA which allows me to withdraw upon Life expectancy method.

@tealover753 - a lot to unpack here......

@dmertz 

I think the way this works is that since your husband passed with a 2023 RMD requirement, that RMD has to occur based on his RMD calculation and must occur if it did not occur prior to his passing. 

@dmertz stated:  "However, if your husband reached age 72 in 2022 and died on or after April 1, 2023, you must complete your husband's 2023 RMD if he had not already done so."  What I beleive is inferred is that statement is the RMD was "locked in" based on HIS 12/31/22 balance and HIS divisor  (26.5 at age 73).   Your begin with your divisor in 2024.  

Your husband died after his RBD, so you are correct, you are an Eligible Designated Beneficiary who, if you maintain the traditional IRAs as inherited does not use the 10-year rule and must take annual beneficiary RMDs beginning in 2024 (not 2023).  If your husband did not complete his 2023 RMD, you must complete his RMD.  As I said previously, the deadline to complete his 2023 is December 31, 2023, but you get an automatic waiver of the excess accumulation penalty if you complete it after 2023 but by the due date, including extensions, of your 2023 tax return.  The only reason to maintain the traditional IRA as an inherited IRA is to be able to take penalty-free distributions before age 59½, When you reach age 59½ (or before if you don't need the money for spending), you can assume ownership of the traditional IRA and RMDs will stop until the year you reach age 75.

Roth IRAs don't have an RBD, so if you maintain the Roth IRA as inherited you can opt into the 10-year rule for the Roth IRA or take annual RMDs based on your life expectancy.  Usually, though, it makes sense to just assume ownership of the Roth IRA and before age 59½ not take out any more than the contribution basis.

There is never a 10% early-distribution penalty on a distribution from an inherited IRA.

"their answer was, I have only two options, which are Cash them all  and Roll over in my name (Assuming IRA as my own) "

Unless their particular IRA agreement explicitly prohibits transferring these to inherited IRAs for your benefit, which is extremely doubtful, nothing prevents you from doing so and their legal department is wrong.  This sounds like they are simply trying to discourage you from maintaining inherited traditional and Roth IRAs because they don't want to deal with it.    Movement to an inherited IRA for your benefit must be done by  nonreportable trustee-to-trustee transfer; it is not permitted to be done by reportable distribution and rollover.  Also, if you move both the traditional and Roth IRAs to traditional and Roth IRAs to your own, at least one (and preferably both) must be done by trustee-to-trustee transfer.  Only one can be moved by reportable distribution and rollover without violating the one-rollover-per-12-months limitation.

Be aware that banks are notoriously inept at dealing with inherited IRAs, particularly with understanding the distinction between a nonreportable trustee-to-trustee transfer (which can be within the same trustee or to a different trustee and is always the preferred method of moving an IRA) and a distribution and rollover.  Every time I've had to deal with inheriting an IRA held by a bank I've had to educate them and until they corrected the forms refuse to sign any that indicated that I was receiving a reportable distribution when the intent was to maintain an inherited IRA.  I've even had to force one to use the correct third-party IRA agreement when establishing the inherited IRA when they tried to use the third-party agreement for an owned IRA.  (Many banks purchase IRA forms and standard agreements from a third party, one major third-party provider in particular.)

Thank you all.

I still have questions….

[2023]

Traditional IRA - Husband’s RMD must be done by 12/31/2023  (Last RMD for him) and his account needs to be closed.

1. Assume ownership(Spousal Transfer) , or 2. Open Inherit IRA(Stretch IRA) , or 3. Cash out

If I choose #2 Inherited IRA and start RMD for both TRA/ROTH, I have to start RMD based on my own life expectancy(no 10-year method), but…, BY WHEN? because I found these three explanations as below… 

to Start beneficiary  RMD

1. by December 31 of the year following the decedent’s passing, or
2. until the year the decedent would have turned 73*

whichever is later .... So, Does this really mean , like dmertz  said, I can start RMD from 2024? 

othewise I need to do two separate RMD, one for my husband and for mine for Inherited TRA IRA  and one another for my RMD this year...

        Also there was a site that said,

1. By the DATE the original owner would have turned 73” (?)

Then when I reach 59 1/2, I can take ownership to take out whatever left together with the earnings portion.

ROTH IRA

There is no RMD requirement, or 10% early withdrawal penalty but tax on earnings before 59 1/2.

Am I correct , since my husband’s Roth is over 5 years and he was 72,

whether Assuming or Inherit Roth IRA, I can begin to take out up to contributed amount based on Single Life Expectancy table until I reach 59 1/2, but not touch the earnings until then to avoid being taxed.  *I don’t intend to make contributions.

Then when I reach 59 1/2, I can take ownership to take out whatever left together with the earnings portion.

or To cash out, there would be instant tax on any earnings before 59 1/2.

AND To be treated as a beneficiary(inherit), the spouse must take RMDs. If no RMD is taken before the end of the year following the account owner’s death, the account will be deemed to be rolled over to the spouse’s own IRA

With my bank's situation, I should send the manager the link or explanation of inherited ira option to send to their legal team... but I wonder if they can let me take that option...

Thank you very much

As an EDB maintaining the traditional IRA as an inherited IRA, your annual beneficiary RMDs will begin with 2024 and that first beneficiary RMD will have to be completed by December 31, 2024.  Completing your husband's 2023 RMD, while being paid to you as beneficiary, is not a beneficiary RMD, it's his RMD.  The change to age 73 does not apply because that change only applies to those IRA participants reaching age 72 after 2022.  Even if the change to age 73 did apply, that wouldn't change the fact that your beneficiary RMDs begin in 2024, the year after he would have reached age 73.  If you choose to treat the IRA as your own, you will not have any RMDs until the year you reach age 75 (the RMD age changes to 75 in 2033).

Regarding the Roth IRA, if you treat the Roth IRA as your own, at any time you can take out any amount up to the amount of his contributions without tax or penalty.  If you maintain the Roth IRA as an inherited Roth IRA for you as beneficiary you can take out any amounts (including cashing out the entire amount) without tax or penalty at any time.  If you maintain the Roth IRA as inherited you'll have the choice to take annual RMDs as an EDB or you can opt into the 10-year rule with no annual RMDs.  If you opt into the 10-year rule, when you reach age 59½ (which will be prior to 2033) you can assume ownership so that you will not have to take a distribution of the entire amount in 2033.

Regardless of what you do, make SURE that any movement of funds between traditional IRA accounts or between Roth IRA accounts is done by nonreportable trustee-to-trustee transfer, NOT by distribution and rollover.

Thank you dimetz,

>Regardless of what you do, make SURE that any movement of funds between traditional IRA accounts or between Roth IRA accounts is done by nonreportable trustee-to-trustee transfer, NOT by distribution and rollover.

So, this nonreportable trustee-to-trustee transfer....

Doesn't this apply  when I transfer husband's IRA to "another financial institurion"?

Does this apply to me setting up my own(assuming IRA) or inheriting IRA within my bank whichever I decide?

The transfer can be within the same financial institution or to a different financial institution and is functionally the same in that the funds are moved directly from one account to another without any payment of funds to you personally.

It's not uncommon for bank personnel to mistakenly believe that any movement of funds out of a particular IRA account is a distribution, so you want to be wary of anything that suggests that the movement of funds involves a reportable distribution.  Every time dealt with an inherited IRA held by a bank custodian I've had to educate them on the difference so that they would not mistakenly report a distribution.  (Many banks use standardized forms provided by the firm Ascensus.  These forms have separate boxes for transfers and for distributions.  If this is the form that is used, make sure that it is marked to indicate a transfer, not distribution.  bank personnel tend to have a bad habit of always marking the distribution box.)

Thank you.

Sorry,,,

So the inherited IRA which I am planning, and will begin RMD from next year , it is not considered distribution to me?

Which case will be reportable transfer...? between TRA to/from ROTH...?

Can I change to make inherited IRA to Assumed IRA before 59 1/2 if I changed my mind?

Repeating what I said earlier:

You must complete his 2023 RMD for the traditional IRA.  The deadline to complete his 2023 is December 31, 2023, but you get an automatic waiver of the excess accumulation penalty if you complete it after 2023 but by the due date, including extensions, of your 2023 tax return.

Regarding beneficiary RMDs from the inherited traditional IRA, your first beneficiary RMD is for 2024.  The deadline to complete that RMD is December 31, 2024.

Regarding the Roth IRA, it usually makes sense to treat the inherited IRA as your own so that you will not have any RMDs.  If you instead choose to treat it as an inherited Roth IRA so that you have tax-free access to earnings before age 59½, you would have annual RMDs as an eligible designated beneficiary.

You can assume ownership up until the year you reach age 75.  (The proposed rules say age 72, but those were written before the SECURE 2.0 Act changed the beginning RMD age, in your case, to age 75.)  After that you can move the funds to your own IRA by distribution and rollover, subject to the one-rollover-per-12-months limitation.  There is no reason not to assume ownership once you reach age 59½ because the only reason to maintain the account as inherited is to have penalty-free access to taxable amounts and the 10% early-distribution penalty disappears from your owned IRAs once you reach age 59½.  Seep proposed regulation 1.408-8(c):

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/24/2022-02522/required-minimum-distributions

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@tealover753 wrote:

Thank you.

Sorry,,,

So the inherited IRA which I am planning, and will begin RMD from next year , it is not considered distribution to me?

Which case will be reportable transfer...? between TRA to/from ROTH...?

Can I change to make inherited IRA to Assumed IRA before 59 1/2 if I changed my mind?

 

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You have the option of keeping the inherited IRA as an inherited IRA (it will be titled something like "Jane Doe as beneficiary of John Doe") or of assuming full ownership (it becomes "Jane Doe's IRA").

If you want to keep the IRA as an inherited IRA, you need to start taking RMDs now (in 2023).  Technically, the 2023 RMD is the one your spouse was required to take, and will be calculated according to his life expectancy.  This is still a distribution to you and is taxable income to you, but there is no 10% penalty for early withdrawal even if you are under age 59-1/2.  Starting in 2024, you take beneficiary RMDs calculated according to your life expectancy and the rules for beneficiary RMDs.  

If you want to assume full ownership of the IRA by transferring it from an inherited IRA to your own IRA, you must first take your spouse's 2023 RMD (which is taxable to you).  Then you can transfer ownership of the remaining balance to your name. 

A direct transfer from an inherited IRA to your own IRA should not be reported.  (Even if it is reported by mistake, it won't be taxable.  If you assume ownership of a traditional IRA, that's not reportable, and if you assume ownership of a Roth IRA, that's not reportable.  However, you mentioned a traditional IRA to Roth IRA.  That's a taxable conversion (pre-tax IRA to Roth IRA is always a taxable conversion) and of course must be reported, although there is no 10% penalty for early withdrawal. 

Thank you very much  dmertz and Opus 17

I understand that , whether inherited or assumed, I must complete his RMD by the end of this year first.

Now, both my husband and I have IRAs in two different financial institutions, one is local bank as I mentioned earlier that we started off and another one is investment company.

Is it possible if I decide to do somthing like...

Inherited TRA IRA(start beneficiary RMD from 2024)   and Assumed ROTH(take out any amount at any time without penalty or tax but leave the earned amount) with the BANK, and

Assumed TRA IRA(contribute/invest if I can/want to or leave as is until 59 1/2)   and Assumed ROTH with the investment firm    ?

OR like

Inherited TRA IRA with both institutions for now and maybe in 2025 change either or both to Assumed IRA       ?

or is it considered One TRA and/or One ROTH even if spreaded in multiple institutions?

Thank you

*I'm not planning a conversion between iras

With respect to assuming ownership or maintaining as inherited, each account is treated separately.

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@dmertz wrote:

With respect to assuming ownership or maintaining as inherited, each account is treated separately.

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Can you clarify this?  I'm pretty sure that when my mother died, her (tradiational) IRA was rolled over/transferred into my father's IRA so he has one account, not two.  Am I misunderstanding your comment?

Thank you @dmertz,

So, I went to the bank to set up an Inherited IRA i(nstead of Assumed IRA), 

and explained to the manager that 'I need to do the last RMD for my deceased husband for this year'.

HOWEVER, the bank's IRA department kept saying that his RMD is now 'suspended' and

there WON'T be distribution requirement....  

In other words, they won't do his RMD for this year.  *They asked me what day he passed away which was after 4/1/23 and etc...

I wanted to process my husband's last (TRA)RMD for 2023 by 2/3 portion from the local bank and 1/3 from the other institution, but the local bank doesn't seem to agree.

Then my only option would be to process 100% RMD with the other institution...

With the other financial institution we've had IRA  , the rep told me that I have to do RMD one last time for my husband, which I confirmed also on this thread too.

I don't know why the difference?

"HOWEVER, the bank's IRA department kept saying that his RMD is now 'suspended' and

there WON'T be distribution requirement.... "

Apparently they think that he reached age 72 in 2023, not in 2022, they think he died in 2022 (in which case you would have a beneficiary RMD for 2023) or they are simply confused.  (Unfortunately, it's quite common for bank personnel to be inadequately trained with regard to inherited IRAs.)  Because your husband reached age 72 in 2022 and died in 2023, you are indeed required to complete your husband's 2023 RMD.  "Suspension" of this RMD is not permitted.

[Edit:  After reading Opus 17's post below, I'm wondering if the bank might just be saying that they cannot issue an RMD paid to your husband and that any standing instructions to do so have been suspended.  However, you must still complete his 2023 RMD with a distribution paid to you.]

They cannot refuse your request for a distribution.  You are permitted to take a distribution whether they think it's an RMD or not.  It's your responsibility, not the IRA custodian's responsibility, to satisfy RMD requirements.

Sine you inherited both accounts from the same decedent, you can take the combined RMD from these inherited IRAs in any combination.

@tealover753 

Let's clarify that your husband can't take an RMD, nor can the bank pay an RMD in your husband's name.

What happens is that you withdraw money in your name, and you get the 1099-R and you report the income on your tax return.  The difference is that for 2023, the minimum amount you must withdraw is the amount your husband would have been required to withdraw as his RMD.  Calculated using his age, life expectancy, account balance and so on.  (You can always withdraw more, of course, if you want to spend it, give it away, or invest it some place else.)

Then starting in 2024, your need to withdraw an RMD (or not) will depend on your age, life expectancy, and other rules that apply to you.  

To try and simplify even further, for 2023, you withdraw in your name, but the amount is calculated based on what your husband's RMD would have been.  For 2024 and the future, you withdraw amounts based on your own RMD calculations.  

Also, to remind you if things got confusing, an RMD is the required minimum amount you must withdraw, because you can't leave retirement funds untouched forever.  You can always withdraw more if you want.  The RMD is an amount, not a specific transaction.  Suppose the RMD is $5000.  That can be satisfied by a single withdrawal of $5000 on December 29, but it would also be satisfied if you withdrew $500 per month over the whole year for living expenses (because $500 x 12 is more than the $5000 minimum amount).  

So for 2023, you need to withdraw an amount equal or more than your husband's RMD would have been.  The withdrawal is in your name and goes on your taxes.  The bank doesn't need to know that this is an RMD, they don't care or need to know why you are withdrawing money.  A better bank or broker will help you calculate the RMD, but if you can calculate it on your own, all you need to do is withdraw that amount (or more).  

Thank you @dmertz.  @Opus 17  and everyone,

Yes, so I am tired of dealing with my bank, and I'm going to do my husband's Traditional IRA RMD from the other financial institution.

Now, regarding the my RMD for both TRA and ROTH Inherited IRAs (not Assumed or rollover), I found these below in IRS website.

Death of the account holder occurred in 2020 or later

Spousal beneficiary options

If the account holder's death occurred prior to the required beginning date, the spouse beneficiary may:

• Keep as an inherited account
  • Delay beginning distributions until the employee would have turned 72
  • Take distributions based on their own life expectancy
  • Follow the 10-year rule
• Roll over the account into their own IRA

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

• Keep as an inherited account
  • Take distributions based on their own life expectancy, or
• Rollover the account into their own IRA

Inherited Roth IRAs

Generally, inherited Roth IRA accounts are subject to the same RMD requirements as inherited traditional IRA accounts. Withdrawals of contributions from an inherited Roth are tax free. Most withdrawals of earnings from an inherited Roth IRA account are also tax-free. However, withdrawals of earnings may be subject to income tax if the Roth account is less than 5-years old at the time of the withdrawal.

So, my understanding is...

I am not subject to the 10-year window RMD requirement, *since my husband's death occurred this year

I am subject to the same RMD requirement for inherited Roth IRA as Tra IRA, and earnings portions are also not subj to tax because the Roth accounts are more than 5 years old

am I correct?

I was told by a rep from the other institution that I would need to complete the RMD within 10 years...

In any case, whether I am subject to 10-year rule or not, I only have a few more years until 59 1/2 yo.

But if I am NOT, then can I still leave somewhat amountand keep RMD over 10 years period in the inherited IRA accounts ? *Just curious...

Thank you

@tealover753 

I will try to answer in general.

You have two main options.

A. Keep the account as an inherited IRA.

B. Assume ownership in your own name, by taking over the account in your own name or rolling over the funds into your own IRA accounts. 

If you keep the account as an inherited IRA, you do not have to close the account in 10 years.  But you must begin taking RMDs NOW based on your life expectancy.  (You can always withdraw more if you need to, but you must withdraw at least the minimum amount.) Your withdrawals are not subject to the 10% penalty for early withdrawal even if you are under age 59-1/2, but withdrawals from the traditional IRA are taxable.

If you rollover the account into your own IRA, then you are subject to the ordinary rules that apply to your own IRAs, including the 10% penalty for early withdrawal, but also RMDs not being required until you reach age 75 (which is what the beginning year will be by the time you reach that age).   Also note that your own Roth IRA never has an RMD, but an inherited Roth IRA does.

Also remember that you must first take your husband's RMD for 2023.  Then, if you decide to keep the IRA as an inherited IRA, you must start taking RMDs based on your own life expectancy starting in 2024.  That also means that you must decide whether to leave the IRA as an inherited IRA or to assume ownership in your own name by the end of 2024.  If you fail to take the RMD for 2024, then by default you have chosen to assume ownership in your own name.  

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So what you do depends on your need for the money and your financial philosophy.  If you don't need the money for living costs, and you want to keep your retirement assets to grow to their maximum potential, then you want to assume ownership in your own name.  That means you will pay a penalty if you withdraw before age 59-1/2, but it also means you won't be forced to withdraw money until age 75.  On the other hand, if you need the money now, you may want to keep the funds as an inherited IRA so you don't pay a penalty on your current withdrawals, but the down side is that you must keep making withdrawals for the rest of your life, even if you wanted to leave it alone, you can't.

You also have the option of rolling over the traditional account in your name and keeping the Roth as an inherited account, or vice versa.  Remember that a Roth IRA in your own name never has an RMD, even after age 75, but an inherited Roth IRA does have an RMD.

Really, the key question is, do you need to spend some of that money before age 59-1/2?

You are subject to annual beneficiary RMDs from the IRAs maintained as inherited traditional IRAs beginning with 2024.  You are required to complete his 2023 RMD in 2023 which you have indicated that you will do from the other inherited traditional IRA.  In the year that you choose to treat the inherited traditional IRA as your own, you are treated as having owned the IRA all year and you will not be subject to beneficiary RMDs for that year and beyond.

A spouse beneficiary of a Roth IRA normally chooses to treat an inherited Roth IRA as their own so that there will not be any RMDs but they will still have access to contribution basis free of tax and penalty.  However, in the rare case where the spouse beneficiary might want to be able to distribute more than contribution basis from the Roth IRA before age 59½, the spouse beneficiary can maintain the Roth IRA as an inherited Roth IRA to avoid tax and early-distribution penalty on earnings that are distributed.  If you maintain the account as an inherited Roth IRA you normally would be subject to annual RMDs from the inherited Roth IRA, but you have the option to opt into the 10-year rule and avoid RMDs in years 1 through 9, with the plan being to treat the inherited Roth IRA as your own before year 10.

If for any year you fail to complete a required distribution as beneficiary, the IRA you defaults to an owned IRA and ceases to be an inherited IRA.

Thank you @Opus 17 and @dmertz 

Completed my husband's last RMD the other day.

Will start my spousal beneficiary RMD for the Inherited IRA for both Inherited TRA&ROTH IRA from 2024 and 

if I keep the IRAs as Inherited as a beneficiary, then empty the inherited accounts by the 10th year(2033),

unless  I decide to roll over them(or some/one of them) to Assumed Ira along the way.

Thank you so much for your help!

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@tealover753 wrote:

if I keep the IRAs as Inherited as a beneficiary, then empty the inherited accounts by the 10th year(2033),

unless  I decide to roll over them(or some/one of them) to Assumed Ira along the way.

Not quite.  If I understand correctly, because you are a qualified beneficiary (a spouse), if you keep the IRA as an inherited IRA, you may withdraw over your expected lifetime.  You are not required to follow the 10 year rule unless you choose to for your own reasons.

Also, I don't know how long you have to assume ownership in your own name (by assumption or rollover).  In publication 590-b, I see a rule that if you make contributions to the inherited IRA, that action changes ownership of the IRA from a beneficiary account to your own account.  And if you fail to take an RMD as beneficiary (in 2024 or later), then the IRA becomes your own IRA and you no longer follow the beneficiary rules.  But I don't know if there are any other time limits on assuming ownership.