Plain-English explanations of RMD rules, inherited IRA regulations, SECURE Act changes, and strategies to minimize your tax burden.
Everything you need to know about RMDs — what they are, when they start, how they're calculated, and what happens if you miss one. The complete beginner's guide to required minimum distributions.
Spouse vs. non-spouse rules, the 10-year rule, Eligible Designated Beneficiaries, and how the SECURE Act changed everything for beneficiaries.
When does the 10-year rule apply, when are annual RMDs required within it, and how the SECURE 2.0 final regulations changed the rules starting in 2025.
The complete 2022-updated IRS life expectancy tables — Table I, Table II, and Table III — with plain-English guidance on which table applies to your situation.
The IRS penalty for missing an RMD is 25% of the shortfall — but it can be reduced to 10% with timely correction. Here's exactly how to fix a missed distribution.
The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 made sweeping changes to RMD rules. New start ages, lower penalties, Roth 401k changes, and more explained clearly.
If you're 70½ or older, you can donate up to $105,000 directly from your IRA to charity and satisfy your RMD without paying income tax on the distribution.
Surviving spouses have more options than any other beneficiary. Treat as own, life expectancy method, or 10-year rule — here's how to choose.
You can aggregate RMDs across multiple IRAs, but not across 401k accounts. Understanding the aggregation rules can simplify your annual distributions.
When a beneficiary dies before fully distributing an inherited IRA, the successor faces the strictest rules of all. Here's what second-generation heirs need to know.