FlexIRA

A Strategic Foundation for Modern Retirement Planning

FlexIRA brings together the structure of a trust and the flexibility of an IRA, giving you greater control over how your retirement assets are managed, protected, and passed on to the people and causes that matter most.

FlexIRA: Control That Adapts to Your Life and Theirs

Members Trust Company has been at the forefront of Trusteed IRA solutions, designed to combine the tax benefits of an IRA account with the flexibility and control of a trust. 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.

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.

Introducing the FlexIRA - Your Ultimate Retirement Solution

Tailored for Your Needs: Customize your retirement account and estate plan effortlessly with FlexIRA. Modify your plan anytime without extra charges.

Flex Standard Option: Designate a beneficiary to receive the remaining IRA balance, who can choose between a lump sum or withdrawals within 10 years. Opt for Protected Access or Flex Trust for added guidance. (Beneficiary’s Choice)
Flex Protected Access Option: Ensure financial security by distributing IRA balance in installments over 10 years or a lifetime, with options to supplement for health, education, and more. (Account Holder’s Choice)
Flex Trust Option: Ideal for specific circumstances:
- - Loved One with Special Needs: Safeguard eligibility for government programs by distributing IRA balance to a Special Needs Trust.
- - Financially Inexperienced Beneficiary: Extend financial oversight by using an Inheritance Protection Trust.
- - Charitably Inclined Account Owner: Choose FlexCRUT for tax efficiency and continuous support for charity and beneficiaries. (Account Holder’s Choice)

With FlexIRA, you can pick your payout based on your needs...and theirs.

Do you feel confident your beneficiaries will manage inherited IRA funds responsibly with the new 10-year liquidation requirement imposed by the SECURE Act?

In January 2020, the SECURE Act was passed, which limits the traditional lifetime stretch-out to 10 years for most beneficiaries. 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…

Surviving spouse of the IRA owner
Minor child of the IRA owner
Beneficiary with special needs
Beneficiary with chronic illness
Seeking an IRA that reflects their family structures, for those seeking to extend beyond 10 years
Financially inexperienced beneficiaries

Benefits of the Flex IRA

In order to meet the planning needs of account owners with affected beneficiaries, Members Trust Company has developed the FlexIRA—a SECURE Act-compliant option to magnify the benefits of the 10-year stretch-out. We offer a lump sum available to the beneficiaries, with limits to payouts that stretch over 10 years or lifetime.* We offer optional distributions for the beneficiary’s health, education, maintenance and support. Our IRA payout to inheritance Protection Trust, Special Needs Trust and/or Charitable Trust, all with Members Trust Company serving as the corporate trustee.