IRAs, 401(k)s & other retirement plans: strategies for taking your money out

Types of retirement plans --

An overview of tax rules --

Early distributions : taking your money out before the law allows --

Substantially equal periodic payments --

Required distributions : taking money out when you have to --

Required distributions during your lifetime --

Distributions to your beneficiary if you die before age 70 1/2 --

Distributions to your beneficiary if you die after age 70 1/2 --

Roth IRAs --

Roth 401(k) plans --

Appendixes. A. IRS forms, notices, and schedules ; B. Life expectancy tables.

1. Types of retirement plans

Qualified plans

Individual retirement accounts

Almost-qualified plans

Nonqualified plans

2. An overview of tax rules

Taxation fundamentals

General income tax rules for retirement plans

Income tax on qualified plans and qualified annuities

Special income tax rules for tax-deferred annuities

Special income tax rules for IRAs

How penalties can guide planning

3. Early distributions: taking your money out before the law allows

Exceptions to the early distribution tax

Calculating the tax

Reporting the tax

Special rules for IRAs

4. Substantially equal periodic payments

Computing periodic payments

Implementing and reporting your decision

Modifying the payments

5. Required distributions: taking money out when you have to

Required distributions during your lifetime

Death before required beginning date

Death after required beginning date

Special rules for tax-deferred annuities

Special rules for Roth IRAs

Penalty

Reporting the penalty

Waiver

6. Required distributions during your lifetime

Required beginning date

Computing the required amount

Designating a beneficiary

Special rules for annuities

Divorce or separation

7. Distributions to your beneficiary if you die before age 70 1/2

Determining the designated beneficiary

Distribution methods

Spouse beneficiary

Nonspouse beneficiary

No designated beneficiary

Multiple beneficiaries, separate accounts

Multiple beneficiaries, one account

Trust beneficiary

Estate as beneficiary

Annuities

Divorce or separation

Reporting distributions from IRAs

8. Distributions to your beneficiary if you die after age 70 1/2

Administrative details

Spouse beneficiary

Nonspouse beneficiary

No designated beneficiary

Multiple beneficiaries, separate accounts

Multiple beneficiaries, one account

Trust beneficiary

Estate as beneficiary

Annuities

Divorce or separation

9. Roth IRAs

Taxation of distributions

Early distribution tax

Ordering of distributions

Required distributions

10. Roth 401(k) plans

Taxation of distributions

Early distribution tax

Ordering of distributions

Required distributions

Appendixes. A. IRS forms, notices and schedules

B. Life expectancy tables.