At a glance
- The calculation uses what the deceased owner would have taken.
- A spousal rollover is available only to spouse beneficiaries and treats the assets as the survivor's own from the start.
- A spouse under 59½ who needs access should consider an inherited IRA first, Ed Slott — IRAHelp recommends, because withdrawals avoid the 10% early-distribution penalty.
Spouse beneficiaries must take any remaining year-of-death required minimum distribution by Dec. 31 of the year after the IRA owner dies, Ed Slott — IRAHelp reported Nov. 4. The calculation uses what the deceased owner would have taken. The beneficiary's own age does not apply.
A spousal rollover is available only to spouse beneficiaries and treats the assets as the survivor's own from the start. The year-of-death RMD still must be taken. After a rollover, it is taken from the survivor's own IRA. Future RMDs use the survivor's age and the Uniform Lifetime Table, recalculated each year. The rollover cannot be reversed.
A spouse under 59½ who needs access should consider an inherited IRA first, Ed Slott — IRAHelp recommends, because withdrawals avoid the 10% early-distribution penalty. RMDs on the inherited IRA can wait until the deceased spouse would have reached RMD age. The survivor can roll over to their own IRA after 59½.
Advisors choosing between the two paths weigh rollover treatment against penalty-free access before 59½.
Reported by the Tax & estate planning desk from Ed Slott — IRAHelp. Published . Corrections