Take distributions from IRA or from taxable accounts at retirement?


From: Ira Krakow <ikrakow_1999@yahoo.com>
Subject: Take distributions from IRA or from taxable accounts at retirement?
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 20:28:47 -0500

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I saw an interesting article in the Motley Fool retirement bulletin =
board, at:

http://www.fool.com/retirement/retireeport/1999/retireeport991227.htm

The author suggests that when withdrawing funds where there is a mixture =
of  IRAs and taxable accounts, it might not be too bad an idea to =
withdraw from the IRAs first.  From the perspective of tax efficiency =
for the *entire* family (including the heirs), the heirs owe taxes on =
any part of an inherited IRA (at *their* marginal tax rate) on which =
taxes haven't been paid, so drawing down the IRA will have a positive =
benefit to heirs by reducing their tax burden. =20

On the other hand, the retiree owes more taxes by using this strategy, =
since taxes have already been paid on the taxable accounts.  The article =
contains a number of scenarios and charts (variables such as the =
marginal tax rate of the heirs, and percentage of assets to be withdrawn =
among these accounts are taken into account). =20

Where's the balance between the retiree paying less tax and the heirs =
paying less tax?  What considerations should be given?

Ira


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