Many clients save through individual and employer-sponsored qualified plans for retirement but may not realize they can’t withdraw funds at will or leave them indefinitely. Financial practitioners can help clients understand distribution rules. This course covers distribution planning for retirement, explaining the complex rules for qualified plans and IRAs. It reviews the basics of qualified employer plans, traditional IRAs, and Roth IRAs, detailing requirements for premature distributions, required distributions, and distributions at death.

• demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of today's retirees and why distribution planning is critically important
• differentiate between the types of distributions that may be taken from defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, and IRAs
  
• pinpoint when the penalty tax will apply to distributions before age 59½ and the exceptions to this rule
• demonstrate an understanding of the required minimum distribution rules that apply to qualified employer plans and traditional IRAs
• understand the different distribution-at-death rules that apply to plan beneficiaries, and the classifications of beneficiaries
• identify the types of retirement plans that allow loans and hardship withdrawals and the rules that apply to these distributions