Surviving spouse options

Depending on the account and conditions, a surviving spouse may retain beneficiary status, elect to treat an IRA as their own, or roll eligible assets to their own account. Employer-plan terms and special spouse rules need review. These choices can change distribution timing and withdrawal treatment.

A spouse's age, the deceased owner's age and death date, other beneficiaries, and access to funds can affect the comparison. Inherited-account withdrawals and withdrawals from an IRA treated as your own may have different early-distribution consequences. Obtain a comparison before transferring, not after.

Ask the attorney about spousal rights, elections, and ownership. Ask the CPA about distribution and filing consequences. Ask the advisor about your income needs and risk tolerance. SBC cannot select an option or prepare an election.