Who Pays Taxes on IRA Distributions?
An Individual Retirement Account, or IRA, allows an individual to reduce taxes owed on their income. Investments grow tax-deferred until individuals begin withdrawing funds in retirement.
An IRA beneficiary could be anyone, such as an individual, spouse or entity such as a trust. There are different rules applicable to each type of beneficiary – non-spouse beneficiaries must take required minimum distributions (RMDs) within five years from any inherited traditional IRA they inherit.
Contributions
The IRS allows individuals to make tax-deductible contributions to individual retirement arrangements (IRAs). Any earnings on those contributions won’t be taxed until distribution.
After an IRA owner dies, his or her funds are usually distributed among his or her beneficiaries, who could include spouses, children, friends, charity organizations or trusts. According to IRA beneficiary rules, spouses may choose whether to rollover the account into their own accounts or treat it as their own; non-spouse beneficiaries must use inherited IRAs with multiple beneficiaries as co-beneficiaries and must commingle funds in those accounts.
Traditional IRA beneficiaries who are non-spouse beneficiaries can utilize the Stretch IRA option, enabling required minimum distributions to be spread out over their life expectancies and thus keep more money in their IRAs for longer. Conversely, when an estate inherits an account it must all be distributed within five years and could force beneficiaries into higher tax brackets.
Earnings
Your money in an IRA grows tax-deferred or tax-free as long as it remains within the account, but withdrawing before age 59 1/2 incurs both taxes and a 10 percent penalty (unless certain exceptions apply).
Your financial situation and retirement goals may influence whether you opt for a savings or investment IRA. Savings IRAs include FDIC-insured certificates of deposit and money market accounts while investment IRAs include mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. Some advisors use tax bracket projections when suggesting traditional or Roth IRAs as options.
Your options for opening an IRA include banks, brokerage firms, mutual fund companies, some life insurance companies and robo-advisers. Each has different rules and regulations which should be understood carefully – for guidance in selecting the appropriate account type consult a trusted financial advisor who will evaluate your specific circumstances to help identify an IRA account that best meets them.
Distributions
Distribution rules of an IRA change when beneficiaries take ownership. Spouses inheriting an IRA may choose between rolling it over or treating it as their own account; non-spouse beneficiaries must begin taking required minimum distributions within five years after the original account holder’s death; this may push them into higher tax brackets upon receiving these distributions.
Beneficiaries who inherit Roth IRAs can keep the funds in their accounts without incurring taxes, so long as they don’t withdraw more than what was contributed. They can request trustee-to-trustee transfers between accounts in their name to prevent funds from being combined in violation of rules for tax-deferred growth of a Roth. Non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit traditional IRAs must start taking distributions by December 31 of the year following death to avoid incurring the 10% early withdrawal penalty; alternatively they can set up an inherited IRA using life expectancy tables to determine withdrawal amounts each year.
Beneficiaries
IRAs are tax-advantaged accounts designed to help individuals save for retirement outside of workplace plans. Individuals can open traditional, Roth and SEP IRAs; though rules vary between them. All have the same general requirements – for instance withdrawals prior to age 59-1/2 are generally subject to taxes and a 10% penalty fee unless certain exceptions exist.
Non-spouse beneficiaries must start taking minimum distributions within one year after the death of an account owner, although they have the option to space out their payments by using a life expectancy table – this strategy may lower tax bills while decreasing minimum distribution amounts required of them.
Financial planning for retirement is an ongoing priority among Americans, and starting early can significantly boost your savings potential. When choosing whether or not to open an investment IRA or savings account, it is important to first carefully assess your goals and financial situation before making your choice. A tax advisor can assist in helping to maximize savings.
Comments are closed here.