U.S. Supreme Court Addresses Status of “Inherited” IRA Accounts in Bankruptcy

On June 12, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Clark v. Rameker, concluding that “inherited” IRAs are not protected from a holder’s creditors during bankruptcy.  Justice Sotomayor delivered the opinion for a unanimous court.  In so ruling, the Court rejected application of the “retirement fund” exemption, because unlike a holder’s self-funded IRA, inherited accounts lack the “planning” motivation that justified protection of the funds as a retirement asset.  

 Forbes described the result as “an opinion with far-reaching implications.”   

Hat top to ElderLawGuy Jeff Marshall as the first to send the link this decision.