H.R. 8696, known as “The Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2020” or “the SECURE Act 2.0”, introduced in the House of Representatives on October 27, 2020, is a bipartisan bill aimed at further protecting and enhancing retirement savings. There are two key aspects of this bill that if enacted, would change the way individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are treated:
1. The age for required minimum distributions (RMDs) from employer-sponsored defined contribution plans and traditional IRAs would increase to age 75. This provision would be effective for individuals who would turn age 72 after December 31, 2020.
The impact on IRAs would be similar to the impact under the SECURE ACT of 2019 (SECURE ACT) adding another level of analysis required to calculate the RMD date and the trigger date for escheatment. Under the SECURE ACT, we now consider whether the owner turned 70.5 after 12/31/2019. Under the SECURE Act 2.0, we would also have to consider whether an owner has turned 72 after 12/31/2020.
Additionally, certain states that have recently revised their unclaimed property statutes specifically reference “age 70.5” as a possible trigger date for escheatment of IRA accounts (except for Vermont which references “age 72”), which is not in line with the SECURE ACT. The SECURE ACT 2.0 further underscores the present need for all states to ensure their retirement account provisions align with federal law.