Roth IRA Planning Now for Higher Estate Taxes Later, Jun 17, 2021

With tax rates at historic lows, many clients have already evaluated the Roth conversion strategy as a retirement income tax minimization strategy. However, high net worth clients who anticipate estate tax liability in the future might also be attracted to the Roth strategy. IRAs are generally included in calculating the taxable estate. If the estate is subject to estate taxes, that reduces the value of assets left to beneficiaries. Once a beneficiary receives the IRA (after taxes), they generally must deplete the funds within 10 years under the SECURE Act. That means beneficiaries will be required to quickly pay income taxes after the estate taxes have been levied. Distributions from inherited Roth IRAs are not taxable. Further, because the client has paid income taxes during life, they've presumably reduced the value of the taxable estate in the process. Given current uncertainties about Biden's estate tax plans, high net worth clients may be particularly interested in this strategy. For more information on Roth conversions, see Q 3663.