The Inherited IRA can provide powerful tax deferral benefits for named beneficiaries. In order to optimize the tax deferral options, the
original owner must properly structure beneficiary designations in accordance with I.R.S. rules and regulations. The I.R.S. has laid a mine field of beneficiary designation traps that can either serve to reduce or eliminate the income tax deferral for the beneficiary. If you are writing a beneficiary designation form, you must take great care when integrating it with the other estate planning documents such as wills and trusts. I encourage you to seek legal or tax counsel when activating these designations.
Beneficiaries themselves must also take care in how they initiate and follow the beneficiary claim process. Read this article for withdraw options. Great care must be taken when reviewing the claim forms and options. Again, a single stroke of the pen might result in years of lost deferral. Additionally, trustees claiming a trusts interest in an IRA must take even greater care in making a claim on behalf of the trust beneficiary. Tremendous fiduciary liability risks are lurking and can be avoided with proper guidance. Read this Forbes article on the Inherited IRA issues for some additional guidance.
