New Required Minimum Distribution Rule
The rules on when retirees must take required minimum distributions(RMDs) changed as of Jan. 1, 2020, thanks to the SECURE Act, which was signed into law on Dec. 20, 2019.
Under the old rules, anyone with money in an IRA was forced to take an RMD every year starting at age 70½. The SECURE Act now delays those required distributions until age 72.
Kiplinger is in the process of updating its retirement tools to reflect this important change in rules, but in the meantime, here are a couple of key points to understand:
- If you were born on July 1, 1949, or later, you do not have to take an RMD until age 72.
- If you were born before that, you fall under the old RMD rules, and you’ll be forced to withdraw money (whether you need it or not) every year starting after age 70½.