The Southern Company Professionals: The IRS Changed the Rules for Inheriting Retirement Accounts Again

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As The Southern Company employees approach Retirement, be aware of IRS changes regarding inherited Retirement accounts and possible legislative shifts, as these can affect your tax strategy and long-term Retirement readiness, says [Advisor Name], a representative of The Retirement Group, a division of The Retirement Group.

With IRS deferring new payout regulations for inherited IRAs, The Southern Company employees might want to reconsider withdrawal strategies and delay distributions to take advantage of tax deferral benefits, says [Advisor Name], a representative of the Retirement Group, a division of The Retirement Group.

In this article, we will discuss:

1. Regulations relating to Deferral of Inherited Retirement Account.

2. Effects of the Secure Act 2.0 on Retirement Planning.

3. Tax Advantages & Compliance for Inherited IRAs.

The Internal Revenue Service finalized regulations governing required minimum distributions for inherited retirement accounts in 2024. These rules, now fully in effect as of 2025, clarify the obligations for beneficiaries navigating the 10-year distribution requirement established by the SECURE Act.

It is based on legislative changes begun in 2019 by Congress that change the requirements for inherited retirement funds. After those modifications, the expectation that the inherited funds would be exhausted within a decade was applied to most non-spousal beneficiaries and the prior provision was replaced with a lifetime distribution. Under the finalized rules, non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit from account holders who had already begun RMDs must take annual distributions in years 1 through 9 and fully distribute the account by the end of year 10.

The IRS issued final regulations in 2024, providing comprehensive and enduring guidance on the 2019 retirement legislation. Beneficiaries must still liquidate their inherited accounts within the ten-year timeframe, with annual distributions required in years 1 through 9 when the original account holder had already begun RMDs.

Important for professionals at The Southern Company is how to structure withdrawals that are good for ten years. Actually, they are evaluating whether annual disbursements are mandatory or if they can put off withdrawals until the tenth year. Waiting too long before withdrawing funds may provide big tax advantages. By using this strategy, beneficiaries may also facilitate greater tax-deferred growth and delay withdrawals until they may be in a lower income tax bracket. This is because the IRS taxes withdrawals from inherited retirement accounts as income.

While earlier IRS guidance provided temporary penalty relief for missed distributions, that relief period -- which covered distributions from 2021 through 2024 -- has now ended. Beginning with the 2025 distribution year, beneficiaries subject to annual RMD requirements must take those distributions or face a 25% excise tax.

Proposed regulations from the IRS the year before also complicate things for beneficiaries. These regulations required successors to make yearly withdrawals every ten years if the original account holders had already made RMDs. Despite that ambiguity, the IRS exempted these beneficiaries from penalties for failing to receive distributions from 2021 through 2024. That exemption has now ended, and full compliance with annual distribution requirements is mandatory beginning in 2025.

Failure to follow the RMD provisions generally carries a 25% penalty equal to the required withdrawal amount. Some taxpayers have questioned whether they will have to reimburse the withheld distributions when routine enforcement is reinstated. In response, Grayson, Georgia-based IRA consultant Denise Appleby says retroactive compliance is highly unlikely if you miss a distribution.

The rules regarding spouses and other specific beneficiaries - including chronically ill - remain the same. These individuals are generally required to make yearly withdrawals for the duration of their projected lives. Furthermore, for accounts inherited before 2020, the previous regulations apply - beneficiaries must continue to receive yearly distributions throughout expected lifetimes.

The law is critical to retirement accounts - a subject that excites both retired The Southern Company employees and experienced professionals. According to recent research, an estimated 27 to 30% of Americans aged 55 and older have no dedicated retirement savings -- a significant share of the Baby Boom generation that is now at or approaching retirement age.

Since the IRS recently put off implementation of payout regulations for inherited IRAs, members of this demographic have a unique opportunity to craft retirement financial strategies that take full advantage of any possible tax deferrals and to consider the impact of inherited assets on comprehensive retirement plans. That event highlights the need to be informed about regulatory changes that may affect a person's retirement financial security.

Understanding recent IRS changes regarding inherited retirement accounts is like learning to handle unpredictable sea breezes. Just as adept sailors must quickly change their sails to stay on course and avoid capsize, so must The Southern Company retirees and those approaching retirement be flexible enough to handle such regulatory shifts.

Putting off implementation of new payout regulations is like a sudden gust of wind that if applied correctly can blow a ship forward with great potential for tax-deferred accumulation and quick withdrawals - or misconstrued and ignored - can cause turbulent conditions and possible consequences. Keep up with a constantly changing 'financial climate' and understand the 'navigation rules' set by the IRS to help steer retirement vessels toward financial security - especially with inherited assets.

Added Fact:

Besides the IRS adjustments, The Southern Company professionals approaching retirement should be aware of a less-publicized component of Secure Act 2.0, which would raise the age of required minimum distributions (RMDs) to 75 from 72. Such a change in retirement planning might alter plans to allow a longer growth period of retirement savings. For people turning 60, this could create new opportunities to optimize asset growth before mandatory distributions kick in - a strategy that could greatly improve retirement readiness. As legislative developments occur, this bill is one to watch closely for its direct impact on retirement strategies.

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Added Analogy:

Navigating new IRS rules on inheriting retirement accounts is like piloting a ship through the Panama Canal's tight turns. Like a captain who has to adjust to new lock sizes and water levels on a canal to keep the vessel safe on passage, The Southern Company professionals approaching or retiring from work must do the same with retirement account regulations. The canal is an engineering marvel that requires precise timing and knowledge of ship capabilities - just as precise and strategic financial planning is needed to take full advantage of tax advantages and account growth under new legislation. As the canal allows ships passage between two oceans, the new IRS rules allow retirees to navigate between current financial security and the legacy of their retirement assets.

Sources:  

1. Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  'Retirement Plan and IRA Required Minimum Distributions FAQs.'  Internal Revenue Service , 10 Dec. 2024,  www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-plan-and-ira-required-minimum-distributions-faqs .

2. Lankford, Kimberly. "SECURE 2.0 Act Summary: New Retirement Savings Changes to Know." Kiplinger, updated Sept. 2025. www.kiplinger.com/retirement/bipartisan-retirement-savings-package-in-massive-budget-bill.

3. Mercer.  'IRS Sets 2025 for Final RMD Rules; Extends 10-Year Rule Relief.'  Mercer , 25 May 2024,  www.mercer.com/insights/2025-IRS-rmd-rules-final-relief.html .

Choosing the right state for retirement means matching your income sources to local tax treatment -- and knowing exactly what The Southern Company contributes in employer-funded retirement benefits shapes that calculation directly -- The Southern Company maintains an active defined benefit pension plan, meaning eligible employees continue to accrue pension benefits based on service and compensation. If you elect a lump sum payout at retirement, the IRS Section 417(e) segment rates determine how the future annuity stream is discounted to a present value -- rising rates compress the lump sum, and timing your election relative to the plan's stability period and lookback month can meaningfully affect the amount you receive. Understanding what your accrued benefit is worth -- and how it interacts with Social Security and any 401(k) savings -- is a key component of the income plan The Retirement Group helps The Southern Company employees build before they retire.

For specific healthcare plan options at The Southern Company -- including which medical plans are available, whether an HDHP or HSA option is offered, and what retiree coverage looks like -- employees should confirm current details directly with HR or the company benefits portal, as those details are subject to annual open enrollment changes. The Southern Company also offers continued medical coverage for retirees, which can help bridge the gap between your last day of work and Medicare eligibility at 65 -- a cost that catches many employees off guard if it is not built into the retirement income plan. The Retirement Group works with The Southern Company employees to project the full cost of healthcare coverage across the retirement timeline and integrate it into the income plan.