Category Archives: Estate

How can I avoid making costly mistakes when I inherit an IRA from a person who was not my spouse? Inheriting an IRA can be a financial windfall, but it’s important to understand the complex, specific rules that apply to non-spouse IRA beneficiaries to avoid critical errors. 1. At first, don’t do anything! Especially, don’t take a distribution from the IRA. Doing so without proper planning may forfeit years of potential tax-favored investment returns.

Who is a spouse beneficiary? A spouse beneficiary must be married to the account owner at the time of the account owner’s death, and he or she must be named on the beneficiary form (or inherit directly through the document default provisions). A spouse beneficiary has a number of unique options. 1. Split the inherited account if necessary.