Annette Robinson is a 63-year-old recent widow and is attempting to do some tax and investment planning pertaining to her late husband's traditional IRA account. She has sought your advice as to the best course of action. She has informed you that her husband was 69 at the time of his death and had not begun taking his RMD.
a. What are the three distribution methods available to Annette?
b. Which method should she choose to maximize tax deferral? Based on the appropriate life table, how much would her first required distribution be? When would this distribution happen?
c. Which method should she choose to maximize the distribution? Based on the appropriate life table, how much would her first required distribution be? When would this distribution happen?
d. Which alternative would not have been available had her husband begun his required distributions?
e. If Annette had been younger than 59, which alternative would allow her to take distributions without incurring the tax penalty?