You may create a trust for your child and name the trust as the beneficiary of your retirement account. This option can work for see-through trusts that meet certain criteria under the law and allow the applicable beneficiaries of the trust to be treated as the beneficiary of your retirement account. There are two types of see-through trusts you can consider: conduit trusts and accumulation trusts.
Conduit Trust
A conduit trust requires all RMDs made from the retirement account to the trust to be distributed to the child (or used for the child’s benefit) as soon as the trust receives it. The trust will provide asset protection and tax deferral for the funds that remain in the actual retirement account. In addition, the terms of the trust can ensure that once the child reaches the age of majority in your state, they will not be able to simply withdraw the entire balance remaining in the retirement account all at once. The trustee can also have discretion to withdraw funds from the retirement account in addition to the RMDs, which would then be distributed to or for the benefit of the child, but these decisions about additional withdrawals will be made by the trustee, rather than the child. Although the remaining balance must still be fully distributed to the child by the end of the calendar year in which the child turns thirty-one, until that time, the conduit trust will provide asset protection, tax deferral, and additional time for your child to mature and learn how to handle the money responsibly before receiving a potentially large sum of money.
Accumulation Trust
An accumulation trust, unlike a conduit trust, provides the trustee with the discretion to decide whether to pay out the RMDs to the child (or for the child’s benefit) from the retirement account or to retain the funds in the trust. As a result, the full amount of the funds distributed from the retirement account to the trust can stay in the trust and can potentially be protected from claims made by outside creditors. An accumulation trust will enable you to ensure that the funds are not distributed to your child sooner than necessary or desired and that the child does not gain access to the entire amount in your retirement account as young as eighteen. However, the funds must still be fully withdrawn from the retirement account by the end of the calendar year in which your child turns thirty-one. Any funds retained by the trust instead of distributed to your child will be taxed at the much higher tax rates applicable to trusts rather than the lower rate that is likely to be applicable to your child.
There are pros and cons for each option, and the one that is best for you and your child will depend on your unique circumstances and goals. You will need to think through whether asset protection, tax minimization, or another goal should be your priority. If you already have made your minor child a beneficiary of your retirement account or have set up a trust as the beneficiary of your retirement plan for the benefit of your children, it is important to review and update your beneficiary designations and your trust if needed. Some recent changes in the rules that govern these important accounts will have a big impact on when the funds must be distributed—and may necessitate a change in your plan.
