IRS changes guidelines for inherited IRAs, causing confusion and backsliding

Determining the most effective way to manage the tax impact of inheriting Individual Retirement Accounts has become more complicated since the Internal Revenue Service released proposed new rules in February.

The rules on inherited IRAs were recently changed in the Secure Act of 2019, which introduced a new 10-year payout rule for inherited accounts. The previous rule stated that those who inherited an IRA, Roth IRA, or 401(k) could spread out withdrawals over their lifetime.