The SECURE Act affects how certain retirement assets pass to loved ones and how those accounts fit into your estate plan. At The Artis Law Firm, we help clients understand how the SECURE Act may affect inherited retirement accounts, beneficiary choices, and the broader planning decisions tied to their long-term goals.
Retirement accounts can be some of the most important assets in an estate, but they come with rules that do not always work the way families expect. The SECURE Act changed the rules for many inherited retirement accounts, which means older estate planning strategies may no longer work as intended. If your plan has not been reviewed in light of those changes, it may be time to take a closer look.
What Is the SECURE Act?
The SECURE Act is an important consideration for individuals and families who want to understand how retirement accounts may be handled after death. The law changed how many inherited retirement accounts must be distributed and, in many cases, shortened the timeline for withdrawals by certain beneficiaries.
When we help clients address the SECURE Act as part of their estate plan, we often review retirement accounts, beneficiary designations, trust planning, inherited IRA concerns, wills, trusts, and the overall way those assets may pass to loved ones.
Why the SECURE Act Matters
Retirement accounts do not pass like every other asset. Beneficiary forms matter. Timing matters. Distribution rules matter. If those pieces are not reviewed carefully, loved ones may face confusion, missed opportunities, or outcomes that do not match your wishes.
A thoughtful review can help clarify how retirement assets fit into your estate plan, whether your beneficiary designations still make sense, whether trust planning should be revisited, and whether older assumptions about inherited IRAs still apply.
How the SECURE Act Changed Inherited IRA Rules
One of the biggest changes under the SECURE Act involves inherited IRAs. Many beneficiaries can no longer stretch distributions over a lifetime the way they may have under prior rules. Instead, some inherited retirement accounts now must be distributed within a shorter period.
That change matters because many older estate plans were built around rules that looked very different. A plan that once seemed solid may now need to be updated if it relies heavily on retirement accounts passing to children, grandchildren, or other loved ones.
Who May Be Treated Differently Under the SECURE Act
Not every beneficiary is treated the same way. Some beneficiaries may have different options depending on their relationship to the account owner and their circumstances.
This is one reason beneficiary designations deserve careful attention. The person you name can affect how the account is handled, how quickly funds may need to be distributed, and how well that asset fits into the overall estate plan.
Beneficiary Designations Still Deserve a Close Look
Many people assume their will or trust controls everything. Retirement accounts usually do not work that way. In most cases, these accounts pass according to the beneficiary designation on file, which means those forms need to be reviewed carefully.
We help clients review whether their beneficiary designations still reflect their wishes, whether the named individuals are still the right choices, and whether those designations work well with the rest of the estate plan.
If the beneficiary form says one thing and the estate plan says another, the beneficiary form often wins. That is not the kind of surprise most families enjoy.
The SECURE Act and Trust Planning
Trusts can still play an important role in estate planning, but the SECURE Act changed the environment in which some trust-based strategies operate. If a trust is named as beneficiary of a retirement account, it is important to review whether that arrangement still supports the goals you have for your family.
We help clients look at how trusts and retirement accounts work together, whether older strategies still make sense, and whether updates may be needed to bring the plan in line with current rules and family priorities.
The SECURE Act and Your Broader Estate Plan
The SECURE Act is not a stand-alone issue. It needs to be considered as part of your overall estate plan. That includes how your retirement accounts connect with your will, your trust, your beneficiary designations, and your goals for the people you love.
When these pieces are coordinated, your plan is more likely to work clearly and efficiently. When they are not, even a well-meaning plan can start wobbling like a shopping cart with one bad wheel.
Common Mistakes We Help You Avoid
Issues involving the SECURE Act are easy to miss because retirement accounts often seem straightforward until someone looks closely at the details.
Common mistakes include relying on outdated beneficiary designations, assuming older inherited IRA strategies still apply, failing to review trusts named as beneficiaries, treating retirement accounts as if they automatically follow a will, and failing to update the estate plan after major family or financial changes.
A careful review can help identify these problems before they create more stress for loved ones later.
The SECURE Act: When to Review Your Plan
It may be time to review your estate plan if you have significant retirement assets, named beneficiaries years ago, created a trust under older assumptions, remarried, welcomed children or grandchildren, or simply have not reviewed your documents since the law changed.
Regular review can help keep your retirement account planning aligned with your wishes, your family structure, and your long-term goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
The SECURE Act changed important rules involving retirement accounts, including how certain inherited IRAs must be distributed after the account owner’s death.
Yes. Beneficiary designations remain very important because they often determine who receives the account and how the rules may apply.
Yes. If a trust is named as beneficiary of a retirement account, the SECURE Act may affect how that strategy works and whether it still aligns with your goals.
In many cases, yes. If your estate plan includes retirement accounts or older inherited IRA strategies, a review can help determine whether updates are needed.
Bring Your Estate Plan Up to Date
The SECURE Act changed the rules for many families, but it does not have to create uncertainty in your plan. We help clients review retirement accounts, beneficiary choices, and estate planning documents so everything works together more clearly and with fewer surprises.
To talk with The Artis Law Firm about how the SECURE Act may affect your estate plan, call (818) 532-5599 or visit our contact page. We proudly serve Burbank, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and surrounding communities.