Distribution Resources

Beneficiary Distributions Table I

Table I - Death Before Required Beginning Date

Beneficiary	Rule	Distributions Must Begin	Comment	Required Documents
No designated beneficiary or beneficiary is not an individual	Five-year rule	Account must be distributed by 12/31 of the fifth year following death of the account holder.	Example, if the account holder dies on 1/1/2003, the entire account must be distributed by 12/31/2008.	Certified Copy of the Death Certificate Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if the beneficiary is the estate. Letter of Instruction from the executor or Distribution Form Estate tax identification number
Non-spouse	Single Life Expectancy (of beneficiary)	On or before 12/31 of the year following the year the account holder died.	If there are Multiple Designated Beneficiaries, and the account is not split into separate accounts in the required time frame (12/31 of the year following death), then the life expectancy of the oldest beneficiary is used.	Certified Copy of the Death Certificate Letters of Instruction or distribution form from each Designated beneficiary Beneficiary’s SSN, DOB, and address.
Spouse	Single Life Expectancy (of beneficiary) Five Year Rule	On or before 12/31 of the year following the year the account holder died or 12/31 of the IRA account holder's 70 ½ year.	A spouse also has the right to treat the account as their own or roll over the assets to their own account. However, the spouse must be the sole designated beneficiary in order to elect to treat the account as his or her own by making contributions to – or not taking RMDs from the account.	Certified Copy of the Death Certificate Letters of Instruction or distribution form from the spouse Beneficiary’s SSN, DOB, and address.
Qualified Trust	(See Trust as Beneficiary)	On or before 12/31 of the year following the year the account holder died.	If the underlying beneficiary of the trust is an individual, they can take distributions based on a single life expectancy. If they are Not an Individual, for instance a charity, the five year rule applies. If there is More than one Beneficiary, the life expectancy of the oldest beneficiary must be used.	Certified Copy of the Death Certificate Letters of Instruction from the trustee(s) of the trust or distribution form from each designated beneficiary Full copy of the Trust Document with amendments - to be determined Trust tax identification number