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Retirement / Decumulation, Tax Planning, Assets and Investment Planning

Will A Distribution From My Traditional IRA Be Penalty-Free?

Updated 12/1/2023

**This guide has been updated to incorporate new changes made by The SECURE Act 2.0 that are effective for the 2024 year. Any SECURE Act 2.0 changes that are effective for 2025 will be incorporated into this guide at the start of the 2025 year. 

Some clients may have unique circumstances that could impact the taxes (and penalties) that must be paid if a distribution is taken from their traditional IRA. The exceptions to the usual distribution rules can be hard to remember especially since many exceptions rarely come up.

To help make this easier, we have created the “Will A Distribution From My Traditional IRA Be Penalty-Free?” flowchart. This flowchart helps to quickly identify unique situations that affect whether a distribution is taxed and penalized, and considers the following:

  • Implications for IRAs with nondeductible IRA contributions
  • Conditions that trigger the 10% early distribution penalty
  • Exceptions to the 10% early distribution penalty
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Can I Avoid Taking My RMD After Reaching My Required Beginning Date (RBD)?
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