Estate Planning for Retirement Benefits after the SECURE Act

This brief essay examines one of the most significant intersections of Elder Law and Trusts & Estates – namely, distributions from defined contribution retirement plans after the participant dies. Particular attention is paid to recently enacted statutory changes, including the end of so-called “stretch IRAs,” which allowed non-spouse beneficiaries to spread withdrawals from inherited retirement accounts over their lifetimes. This essay also addresses strategic considerations in designating beneficiaries for such accounts.