FlexIRA

A Strategic Foundation for Modern Retirement Planning

FlexIRA brings together the structure of a trust and the flexibility of an IRA.

This gives you greater control over how your retirement assets are managed,

protected, and passed on to the people and causes that matter most.

Control That Adapts to
Your Life and Theirs

The rules around inherited IRAs have changed. With the SECURE Act’s 10-year payout requirement, many families are facing tough questions about how and when their loved ones should receive these assets.

Only those who fall into the categories shown below may stretch distributions from an inherited IRA over their lifetime, thereby minimizing income tax consequences. Everyone else must now withdraw the entire IRA balance within ten years of the account owner’s passing. We help those who are:

  • A surviving spouse of the IRA owner

  • A beneficiary with special needs

  • Seeking an IRA that reflects their family structures, for those seeking to extend beyond 10 years

  • A minor child of the IRA owner

  • A beneficiary with chronic illness

  • Financially inexperienced beneficiaries

That’s where FlexIRA comes in.

Developed by Members Trust Company, FlexIRA is a unique IRA agreement that lets you tailor how your retirement savings are distributed to your beneficiaries, without the need for a separate trust. It blends the tax benefits of an IRA with the structured control of a trust, helping you align your legacy with your family’s real-life needs.

What Is FlexIRA?

FlexIRA is not one-size-fits-all. It’s a flexible IRA planning tool designed to help address today’s estate and retirement challenges. With three distinct payout options, FlexIRA lets account holders choose the level of control and oversight that best matches each beneficiary’s situation.

Each FlexIRA is still a standard IRA at its core, but with customizable planning features layered in, making it an estate strategy, not just an investment vehicle.

We help those who…

FlexIRA is ideal for individuals who:

  • Wish to include charitable giving in their estate plans

  • Want to safeguard an inheritance from being misused or prematurely spent

  • Are concerned about how required distributions might affect taxes or eligibility for public benefits

  • Have loved ones with special needs, disabilities, or health concerns

  • Are seeking an IRA that reflects their family structures, for those seeking to extend beyond 10 years

  • Want a tax-efficient way to pass on IRA assets by stretching growth over a lifetime through a charitable trust

How It Works: Three Flexible Payout Paths

FlexIRA gives account holders the choice of how their beneficiaries receive the IRA balance:

  • Flex Standard Gives beneficiaries the freedom to withdraw the IRA funds in a lump sum or spread them out over 10 years. A straightforward option when your loved one is capable of managing finances independently.

  • Flex Protected Access Designed for those who benefit from structured support. Distributions can be paid out over time, either the 10-year SECURE Act window or a longer period (if permitted by law), with optional supplemental payments for health, education, maintenance, and support.

  • Flex Trust Ideal for special needs planning, financially inexperienced beneficiaries, or charitable goals. IRA assets are distributed to a trust, such as an Inheritance Protection Trust, Special Needs Trust, or Charitable Trust, with Members Trust Company serving as corporate trustee. This allows for extended oversight, helps maintain eligibility for public assistance, or supports causes you care about while still providing for loved ones.

Want to compare your current IRA setup with FlexIRA?
Request a free FlexIRA fit assessment and explore your options.

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