If you needed a reminder of just how byzantine the rules are that govern inherited IRAs—and the importance of preparing your family for receiving such an account—the IRS just handed you one.
Parents who have substantial assets in an IRA should plan ahead for how their children may inherit those assets. The laws governing IRA assets, their transfers, taxation and inheritance, are complex. A single mis-step can be unnecessarily costly. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal outlines some of the specific perils, and offers a few salient tips. Above all, this is one aspect of financial and estate planning that truly requires professional advice. A good place to start learning more is in the Journal’s article, “Pitfalls of Inherited IRAs.”
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Reference: The Wall Street Journal (December 10, 2011) “Pitfalls of Inherited IRAs”