Jim Lorenzen, CFP®, AIF®
The government is facing huge deficits and a building national debt. So, the latest bid to re-arrange deck chairs, the House recently passed The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019. They’re calling it The Secure Act.
According to Wealth Management, it’s not law – it’s just a bill that’s passed the House and the Senate will pass its own version at some point before it goes to committee for reconciliation. Nevertheless, here’s what’s in the House bill:
- Retirement accounts would be forced to distribute all benefits within 10 years after the employee or owner dies. This would apply whether or not the deceased had reached his/her required beginning date. What this does, of course, is reduce the value of inheritances. No special provision addresses trusts.
- Determination of a plan’s beneficiary being an eligible designated beneficiary happens on the date of the employee’s or owner’s death.
- Some charities will adapt to the 10-year rule by naming a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) as a beneficiary, permitting tax deferral over the tern of the CRUT and increasing the value realized by the non-charitable beneficiary. A present value analysis can help determine whether the benefit to the family exceeds the use of the 10-year rule. Some may adapt by making lifetime qualified charitable distributions – direct transfers of up to $100K/year from an IRA to a qualifying charity after age 70-1/2.
It’s a long way from being law yet; but, it’s good to know what they’re up to.
Jim
Jim
Jim Lorenzen is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and an ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY® serving private clients since 1991. Jim is Founding Principal of The Independent Financial Group, a registered investment advisor with clients located across the U.S.. He is also licensed for insurance as an independent agent under California license 0C00742. The Independent Financial Group does not provide legal or tax advice and nothing contained herein should be construed as securities or investment advice, nor an opinion regarding the appropriateness of any investment to the individual reader. The general information provided should not be acted upon without obtaining specific legal, tax, and investment advice from an appropriate licensed professional.
