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December 17, 2015

Converting Inherited IRA

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Converting Inherited IRA

I recently inherited a Traditional IRA and would like to convert a portion of it to a Roth IRA. Am I allowed to do so?

It depends. If you are not the surviving spouse of the IRA owner, you are not eligible to convert the amount to a Roth IRA.

If you are the surviving spouse of the IRA owner, you can convert the amount to your own Roth IRA providing you elect to treat the Traditional IRA as you own before the conversion. One of the methods of treating the IRA as your own is by transferring the amount to your own (non-inherited) Traditional IRA. This option to treat the IRA as your own is available only to a surviving spouse beneficiary. Caution: If the decedent was required to take an RMD for the year of death, that amount cannot be included in the conversion, and must be withdrawn before the conversion.

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Keep Learning

Catch-up Contribution

Definition An additional contribution that can be made to a retirement plan by a participant who is at least age-50 by the end of the

Salary Deferral Contribution

Definition A contribution made pursuant to a participant’s election to have a portion of his/her salary/wages  contributed to his/ her employer sponsored plan  rather than

Key Employee

Definition An employee who, at any time during the plan year, is (i) an officer of the employer having an annual compensation greater than $180,000,

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