You may designate beneficiaries to receive your IRA assets after your death. Any tax-deferred money in your Traditional IRA at the time of your death will be taxed as it is distributed to your beneficiaries. All beneficiaries may take a lump-sum payment. They may also be able to take payments over a certain number of years, depending on the year of your death. In addition, a spouse beneficiary may treat your Traditional IRA as his or her own.



