An IRA offers a tax-advantaged way to save money for your retirement. You must start taking a required minimum distribution (RMD) once you are age 73 (the RMD age was 72 from 2020 -2022 and was age 70 1/2 in prior years). Generally, distributions from an IRA are taxable as ordinary income. What if you don't need the money and don't want to pay the tax on the extra income? The rules are a bit complicated when a non-spouse inherits an IRA, but the entire account must generally be distributed to the beneficiary within 10 years, which may also be undesirable from a tax standpoint. In these situations AND if you are charitably-inclined, making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) out of your IRA or leaving your IRA to charity, including a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), may be appropriate. Keep reading for more detail on these strategies.
Read more