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July 2, 2023
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RMD Tax For Inherited IRA Prior To vs Following Death Of Original Owner

  • July 2, 2023
  • 2 replies
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Unfortunately my wife is expected to die in the next few days. This brings the following question:

The beneficiary of her Traditional IRA is our daughter. The IRA will become her Inherited IRA.

The 2023 RMD for my wife's IRA has yet to be taken.

Is the following correct?

- If I take the RMD prior to her passing, the RMD proceeds will be taxable to our joint tax return.

- If I wait until the RMD becomes our daughter's Inherited IRA, the RMD Proceeds will be taxable at her tax rate.

A link to a source would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance 

 

    Best answer by NCPERSON1

    @Romper 

     

    the RMD is not going to liquidate the IRA in 10 years.  The IRS doesn't care what strategy is employed to empty the IRA in 10 years as long as 1) the required minimum is distribured each year and 2) it is emptied in Year 10.  Personally, what your daughter doesn't want to do is have a large "lump' to liquidate in Year 10, which may push her to a high tax bracket.  

     

    The mimimum is based on Table 1 in the attached (page 48)  For example, if your daughter turns 30 in 2024, then the 2024 RMD is the IRA balance on 12.31.23 divided by 55.3 (a little under 2%!).  Then in 2025, the RMD is the 12/31/24 balance divided by 54.3.  The divisor drops by 1 each year (you don't follow the table as she ages)

     

    So simply taking the RMDs each year is only going to distribute around 20%-25% by the end of year 9 (and maybe less since presumably the money is invested and growing)

     

    https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p590b.pdf

     

    here is one strategy to "smooth: this over 10 years, but another strategy is to look at her tax bracket and combine 'smoothing' and take the income to the top of a tax bracket.  it's a not necessarily a simple exercise and does take some planning.  Everyone's tax situation is different. 

     

    This presumes a $100,000 IRA balance that grows 5% annually. The percent is the percent that would need to be distributed each year so that there is a smooth distribution of $12950 annually, 

     

    Year Balance income  dsitribution percent
    0100,000   
    192,0505,000         12,95013%
    2 83,7034,603         12,95014%
    374,9384,185         12,95015%
    465,7353,747         12,95017%
    556,0713,287         12,95020%
    645,9252,804         12,95023%
    7 35,2712,296         12,95028%
    824,0851,764         12,95037%
    9 12,3391,204         12,95054%
    10 0 617         12,956100%

     

     

     

    2 replies

    July 2, 2023

    that is correct.  the amount of the RMD is the same for 2023 under either circumstance you note. 

     

    In 2024, the RMD is based on your daughter's life expectancy from the IRS tables and 2024 is Year 1 of the 10 years she has to liquidate the inherited IRA. 

     

    here is one article explaining it with a reference to the IRS Revenue Ruling 2005-36

     

    https://www.thestreet.com/financial-advisor-center/what-advisers-need-to-know-about-the-year-of-death-rmd#:~:text=The%20Beneficiary%20Must%20Take%20the%20RMD&text=If%20the%20year%2Dof%2Ddeath,in%20Revenue%20Ruling%202005%2D36.

     

     

    RomperAuthor
    July 2, 2023

    Thankyou NCperson for the timely response.

    The article in the link is dated Jan 31, 2023. It is well written but I suspect out of date as it does not mention the 10 year rule.

    Thanks again

     

    VolvoGirl
    Employee
    July 2, 2023

    And see IRS 590B for IRA distributions

    https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p590b.pdf