Key Provisions of the CARES Act
Distributions can be waived in 2020 for Inherited Accounts, 401(k)s, and IRAs.
Recently, the $2 trillion “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security” (“CARES”) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act is designed to help those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, while also providing key provisions that may benefit retirees.
The CARES Act has far-reaching implications for many. Here are the most important retirement provisions to keep in mind:
Your Inherited 401(k)s. People who have inherited 401(k)s or Individual Retirement Accounts can suspend distributions in 2020. Required distributions don’t apply to people with Roth IRAs; although, they do apply to investors who inherit Roth accounts.
RMDs Suspended. The CARES Act suspends the minimum required distributions most people must take from 401(k)s and IRAs in 2020. In 2009, Congress passed a similar rule, which gave retirees some flexibility when considering distributions.
Withdrawal Penalties. Account owners can take a distribution of up to $100,000 from their retirement plan or IRA in 2020, without the 10-percent early withdrawal penalty that normally applies to money taken out before age 59½. But remember, you still owe the tax (although there is hope and speculation that any withdrawal taken may ultimately be tax-free too).
