Retirement Plan Beneficiaries FLEXCAST

Overview

Retirement accounts don’t transfer by what the will says, they transfer by beneficiary form. That one designation can control everything from required minimum distributions and payout timing to whether a spouse can roll over, whether the 10-year rule applies, and whether a trust can see through to real people for life expectancy purposes. In this course, Mary Kay Foss breaks down how beneficiary choices work during life and at death, how to identify the correct class of beneficiary, and what deadlines and data points actually matter. Attendees will work through the SECURE-era distribution framework; death before vs. after the required beginning date, the 5-year rule vs. 10-year rule, and the special options available to spouses, minor children, disabled/chronically ill beneficiaries, and beneficiaries close in age to the decedent. The course also addresses high-friction real-world planning tools: disclaimers, non-spouse rollovers via plan-to-IRA transfers, Roth beneficiary payout rules, and trust beneficiary structures. The course also covers when trusts qualify, how separate accounting can change outcomes, and the tax and administration pitfalls that trip up beneficiaries and custodians alike.

Highlights

Importance and role of retirement plan beneficiaries. Types of beneficiaries. Required Beginning Date and Required Minimum Distributions. SECURE Act rules, including the 10-year rule. Spouse vs. non-spouse beneficiary treatment. Trusts as beneficiaries. Distribution rules for inherited IRAs. Planning considerations, disclaimers, and common beneficiary strategies.

Prerequisites

None.

Designed For

CPAs and tax professionals.

Objectives

Identify when a retirement plan beneficiary has a life expectancy for distribution purposes and distinguish non-designated beneficiaries, designated beneficiaries, and eligible designated beneficiaries. Determine the applicable post-death distribution rule based on the participant’s required beginning date status and the beneficiary’s classification. Apply special beneficiary rules for surviving spouses, minor children, disabled or chronically ill beneficiaries, and beneficiaries not more than 10 years younger than the account owner. Evaluate common planning techniques, including disclaimers and contingent beneficiary designations, and explain how timing and documentation requirements affect outcomes. Assess whether a trust can qualify as a designated beneficiary and compare conduit, accumulation, QTIP, and special needs trust structures for retirement plan payouts under SECURE-era rules. Describe practical administration considerations for beneficiaries.

Preparation

None.

Notice

This is a FlexCast (no exam required) and may be viewed only Monday - Saturday, 5am - 5pm PT. You may take up to one year from the date of purchase to complete the course. Pause your FlexCast and resume at a convenient day during the hours above. Partial credit for 2+ credit courses: If you are unable to complete the course in one sitting, partial credit can be awarded (minimum of one credit). To earn the remaining credits, you must return later and start the course from the beginning. Use chat to ask questions of a subject matter expert during the program.