top of page

Trust as Beneficiary of IRA Is Popular – WSJ.com

My wife and I are both over 65 and are doing some estate planning. Can I transfer funds from a traditional IRA to a trust without immediately being taxed? What would be the tax consequences of making the trust the beneficiary of my IRA?

Ken Hartmann

Omaha, Neb.

The reader’s best bet would be the second strategy — making the trust the beneficiary of his individual retirement account, says Natalie Choate, an estate-planning lawyer at Nutter McClennan & Fish LLP in Boston.

Still, there is a caveat we will get to in a moment.

To take the questions in order: Transferring funds from an IRA to a trust would “invariably cause immediate taxation,” because the transfer would be considered an IRA distribution, Ms. Choate says.

Note: Investors might encounter a technique espoused by some estate-planning experts, which in theory would allow for a transfer without triggering taxes. But the Internal Revenue Service has never specifically “blessed” the technique, Ms. Choate says. So, “most estate-planning lawyers would say you shouldn’t try it without getting a ruling from the IRS, which would be quite expensive.”

 
 
 

Comments


Purposeful Financial and Legacy Planning

Fee-Only Financial Planning

(970) 443-1873

3400 Rosestone Ct, Fort Collins, CO 80525

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

©2020 by Purposeful Financial and Legacy Planning

DISCLAIMER: This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a complete description of our investment services or performance. This website is in no way a solicitation or offer to sell securities or investment advisory services except, where applicable, in states where we are registered or where an exemption or exclusion from such registration exists. Information throughout this site, whether stock quotes, charts, articles, or any other statement or statements regarding market or other financial information, is obtained from sources which we, and our suppliers believe reliable, but we do not warrant or guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of this information. Nothing on this website should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are an indication of future performance. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR RESULTS OBTAINED FROM ANY INFORMATION POSTED ON THIS OR ANY 'LINKED' WEBSITE.

All domestic and international rights reserved. No part of this website, including text, graphics, et al., may be reproduced or copied in any format, electronic, print, et al., without written consent.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

bottom of page