The passing of a loved one creates emotional and financial challenges. The situation gets trickier when an inherited IRA is involved, and you are listed as a beneficiary.
The tax rules on inherited IRAs are complicated, and mistakes can be costly. Try giving yourself a head start on managing your inheritance wisely by following the five steps below.
Learn more: What is an IRA, and how does it work?
The language of retirement accounts can be confusing. Refreshing your knowledge on a few basic terms may spare you some problems later. You’ll also have an easier time making decisions quickly with minimal extra research. Terms to know include:
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Traditional IRA: A traditional IRA offers tax-deductible contributions and taxable withdrawals. If you inherit a traditional IRA, you will pay income taxes on withdrawals from the account.
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Roth IRA: A Roth IRA is funded with after-tax money, but qualified withdrawals are tax-free. Your withdrawals from an inherited Roth IRA should also be tax-free if the account has been open for at least five years.
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Beneficiary: If you have inherited an IRA, you are the beneficiary. The original account owner previously provided your information to the financial company that manages the account, which is known as the custodian.
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Required minimum distributions (RMDs): RMDs are mandatory withdrawals that apply to traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, all inherited IRAs, and other retirement account types. RMDs from inherited traditional IRAs are taxable. RMDs from inherited Roth IRAs are tax-free. If you miss RMDs, amounts not withdrawn could be taxed up to 25%.
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Required beginning date (RBD): This is the year the deceased account owner was supposed to start taking RMDs. Normally, RMDs are required on traditional IRAs annually from the year the account owner turns 73.
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10-year rule: The 10-year rule requires some beneficiaries to withdraw all funds from the inherited account within 10 years of the deceased account owner’s passing. The withdrawal can be a lump-sum distribution or phased over time. But if the account owner of a traditional IRA died on or after the RBD, the beneficiary may also have an annual RMD requirement.
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Life expectancy method: RMDs are based on an account owner’s life expectancy. Some beneficiaries can optionally take RMDs based on their own life expectancy instead, but this is less common.
Learn more: Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA: How to pick the right one
Once you know the vocabulary, you are ready to speak with a financial advisor. Tim Witham, founder of Balanced Life Planning, said inherited IRA beneficiaries can easily run into trouble without professional help.
“The most common issues with inheriting an IRA are related to understanding the rules of how much needs to be withdrawn, when it needs to be withdrawn, and the tax implications,” Witham explained.
Learn more: Withdrawal rules for Roth and traditional IRAs
An experienced financial advisor can explain the options and recommend a safe strategy that suits your financial goals.
For example, you might be tempted to withdraw the funds immediately. But if the account is a traditional inherited IRA, that withdrawal will be taxable as income.
Rachel Richards, head of tax and product manager at tax service provider Gelt, warned that big taxable withdrawals can push you into a higher tax bracket. That could trigger higher taxes and higher Medicare premiums.
Learn more: The 7 best questions to ask your financial advisor in the new year
The IRS defines three beneficiary types for inherited IRAs, and each type has different options for managing the inherited account. The three types are spousal beneficiaries, eligible designated beneficiaries, and designated beneficiaries. Let’s review each and their respective account options.
If your deceased spouse left you the IRA, you can move the funds into an IRA in your name or maintain the account as an inherited IRA. Moving the funds into your name is the simpler option. The taxation and distribution rules should be the same as any other IRA you own.
If you keep the account separate from your name as an inherited IRA, you can take RMDs based on your life expectancy or the deceased’s life expectancy. You can alternatively follow the 10-year rule, taking RMDs on traditional accounts if the deceased died on or after the RBD.
Read more: Retirement planning: A step-by-step guide
Eligible designated beneficiaries include minor children, those who are disabled or chronically ill, and beneficiaries not more than 10 years younger than the deceased account holder.
If you are an eligible beneficiary, you can:
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Take distributions over your life expectancy or the deceased’s life expectancy, whichever is longer.
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Follow the 10-year rule, taking RMDs if the deceased died on or after the RBD.
You are a designated beneficiary if you don’t fall into the spousal or eligible designated categories. For example, if you are an adult child of the deceased with no chronic illness, you are probably a designated beneficiary.
As a designated beneficiary, you are required to follow the 10-year rule. “You must ensure the entire account balance has been withdrawn by the end of the 10th year after the year of the original owner’s death,” said Adam Tolliver, financial advisor and partner at Artisan Financial Strategies. “This is the most common scenario non-spousal beneficiaries of an IRA find themselves in,” Tolliver explained.
Learn more: 401(k) vs. IRA: The differences and how to choose which is right for you
The IRS doesn’t prohibit you from withdrawing the inherited funds right away — but doing so can be costly. You’ll pay taxes on traditional inherited IRA withdrawals. You will also forgo years of tax-deferred growth on traditional and Roth inherited IRA balances.
For example, if you follow the 10-year rule, you have a decade of tax deferrals available on funds not subject to RMDs. The financial impact of those deferrals can be powerful.
Suppose you inherit $100,000 in a Roth IRA, invested to earn a 7% average annual return. Leave the funds in the tax-advantaged account, and they should grow to about $195,000 in 10 years. Move the funds into a taxable account with the same return, and your after-tax balance after 10 years will be roughly $25,000 less, assuming a 22% marginal tax rate.
Learn more: These are the traditional IRA and Roth IRA limits in 2026
Vincent Birardi, wealth advisor at Halbert Hargrove, recommended naming beneficiaries for your inherited IRA immediately. “Those beneficiaries can take over your inherited IRA upon your passing. This applies even in the case where you have inherited an IRA from a non-spouse, and you pass away before the 10-year full liquidation period,” Birardi explained.
The process for naming IRA beneficiaries should be simple. Contact your IRA custodian for specifics.
Learn more: What is the retirement age for Social Security, 401(k), and IRA withdrawals?
Choosing the right path forward with an inherited IRA is complicated. You must juggle your financial needs and the IRS rules while grieving for a lost loved one. Understanding the IRS distribution requirements and consulting with an experienced financial advisor can help you formulate a plan that makes sense for you.
Tim Manni edited this article.
