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The Daily Insight

Do inherited Roth IRAS have to be distributed within 10 years?

Author

Sarah Duran

Published Feb 09, 2026

The 10-year rule only says that the inherited retirement account must be completely distributed by the end of the tenth year after the year of death.

What are the new rules for inherited Roth IRAS?

If you inherit a Roth IRA from a parent or non-spouse who died in 2020 or later, you can:

  • Open an inherited IRA and withdraw all the funds within 10 years. You do not have RMDs, but the maximum allowed distribution period is 10 years.
  • Open an inherited IRA and stretch RMDs over your lifetime.

How long do you have to distribute an inherited Roth IRA?

Generally, a designated beneficiary is required to liquidate the account by the end of the 10th year following the year of death of the IRA owner (this is known as the 10-year rule). During the 10-year period, the beneficiary may take distributions of any amount at any frequency.

What happens when a Roth IRA is inherited?

Inheriting a Roth IRA as a Non-Spouse Earnings are taxable unless the 5-year rule is met. You won’t be subject to the 10% early withdrawal penalty. Assets in the account can continue to grow tax-free. You can designate your own beneficiary.

What are the options for inheriting a Roth IRA?

You have three options if you inherit a Roth IRA as a non-spouse: Option 1: Open an Inherited IRA, Life Expectancy Method With the Life Expectancy option, the assets are transferred into an Inherited Roth IRA in your name. You’ll be subject to required minimum distributions that must begin by Dec. 31 of the year following the year of death. 6

When do I have to withdraw from my inherited Roth IRA?

Under the Five-Year Method, the assets are transferred to an Inherited Roth IRA in your name. You can spread out the distributions, but you must withdraw all the assets from the account by Dec. 31 of the fifth year following the year of death 6 6

When do you get a Roth IRA if you are the beneficiary?

With the Life Expectancy option, the assets are transferred into an Inherited Roth IRA in your name. You’ll be subject to required minimum distributions that must begin by Dec. 31 of the year following the year of death. 6 Previously, distributions were spread over a non-spouse’s lifetime, assuming the person was the only beneficiary.

Can a non-spouse beneficiary inherit a Roth IRA?

Multiple non-spouse beneficiaries can create separate inherited Roth accounts by the end of the year following the year of death just as for non-Roth inherited IRAs. This will enable them to each use their own life expectancies for RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions), since RMDs are required for Roth beneficiaries, but not for owners.