§ 1.401(a)(9)-4 — Determination of the designated beneficiary.

26 CFR § 1.401(a)(9)-4

• Title: Title 26: Internal Revenue
• Part: Part 1: Income Taxes
• Source: eCFR (current through Mar 20, 2026)

Text

§ 1.401(a)(9)-4 Determination of the designated beneficiary.

(a) Beneficiary designated under the plan—(1) In general. This section provides rules for purposes of determining the designated beneficiary under section 401(a)(9). For this purpose, a designated beneficiary is an individual who is a beneficiary designated under the plan.

(2) Entitlement to employee's interest in the plan. A beneficiary designated under the plan is a person who is entitled to a portion of an employee's benefit, contingent on the employee's death or another specified event. The determination of whether a beneficiary designated under the plan is taken into account for purposes of section 401(a)(9) is made in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section or, if applicable, paragraph (d) of this section.

(3) Specificity of beneficiary designation. A beneficiary need not be specified by name in the plan or by the employee to the plan in order for the beneficiary to be designated under the plan, provided that the person who is to be the beneficiary is identifiable pursuant to the designation. For example, a designation of the employee's children as beneficiaries of equal shares of the employee's interest in the plan is treated as a designation of beneficiaries under the plan even if the children are not specified by name. The fact that an employee's interest under the plan passes to a certain person under a will or otherwise under applicable State law does not make that person a beneficiary designated under the plan absent a designation under the plan.

(4) Affirmative and default elections of designated beneficiary. A beneficiary designated under the plan may be designated by a default election under the terms of the plan or, if the plan so provides, by an affirmative election of the employee (or the employee's surviving spouse). The choice of beneficiary is subject to the requirements of sections 401(a)(11), 414(p), and 417. See §§ 1.401(a)(9)-8(d) and (e) for rules that apply to qualified domestic relations orders.

(b) Designated beneficiary must be an individual. A person that is not an individual, such as the employee's estate, is not a designated beneficiary. If a person other than an individual is a beneficiary designated under the plan, the employee will be treated as having no designated beneficiary, even if individuals are also designated as beneficiaries. However, see paragraphs (f)(1) and (3) of this section for a rule under which certain beneficiaries of a see-through trust that is designated as the employee's beneficiary under the plan are treated as the employee's beneficiaries under the plan rather than the trust and § 1.401(a)(9)-8(a) for rules under which section 401(a)(9) is applied separately with respect to the separate interests of each of the employee's beneficiaries under the plan.

(c) Rules for determining beneficiaries—(1) Time period for determining the beneficiary. Except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (f) of this section and § 1.401(a)(9)-6(b)(2)(i), a person is a beneficiary taken into account for purposes of section 401(a)(9) if, as of the date of the employee's death, that person is a beneficiary designated under the plan and none of the events described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section has occurred with respect to that person by September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death.

(2) Circumstances under which a beneficiary is disregarded as a beneficiary of the employee. With respect to a beneficiary who was designated as a beneficiary under the plan as of the date of the employee's death (including a beneficiary who is treated as having been designated as a beneficiary pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section), if any of the following events occurs by September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death, then that beneficiary is not treated as a beneficiary—

(i) The beneficiary predeceases the employee;

(ii) The beneficiary is treated as having predeceased the employee pursuant to a simultaneous death provision under applicable State law or pursuant to a qualified disclaimer satisfying section 2518 that applies to the entire interest to which the beneficiary is entitled; or

(iii) The beneficiary receives the entire benefit to which the beneficiary is entitled.

(3) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this paragraph (c).

(i) Example 1. Employer M maintains a defined contribution plan, Plan X. Employee A dies in 2024 having designated A's three children—B, C, and D—as beneficiaries, each with a one-third share of A's interest in Plan X. B executes a disclaimer of B's entire share of A's interest in Plan X within 9 months of A's death and the disclaimer satisfies the other requirements of a qualified disclaimer under section 2518. Pursuant to the qualified disclaimer, B is disregarded as a beneficiary.

(ii) Example 2. The facts are the same as in paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section (Example 1), except that B does not execute the disclaimer until 10 months after A's death. Even if the disclaimer is executed by September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of A's death, the disclaimer is not a qualified disclaimer (because B does not meet the 9-month requirement of section 2518) and B remains a designated beneficiary of A.

(iii) Example 3. The facts are the same as in paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section (Example 1) except that, in exchange for B's disclaimer of the one-third share of A's interest in Plan X, C transfers C's interest in real property to B. Because B has received consideration for B's disclaimer of the one-third share, it is not a qualified disclaimer under section 2518 and B remains a designated beneficiary.

(iv) Example 4. The facts are the same as in paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section (Example 1), except that Charity E (an organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3)) also is a beneficiary designated under the plan as of the date of A's death, with B, C, D, and Charity E each having a one-fourth share of A's interest in Plan X. Plan X distributes Charity E's one-fourth share of A's interest in the plan by September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of A's death. Accordingly, Charity E is disregarded as A's beneficiary, and B, C, and D are treated as A's designated beneficiaries.

(v) Example 5. The facts are the same as in paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section (Example 1), except that A's spouse, F, also is a beneficiary designated under the plan. A and F were residents of State Z so that State Z law applies. The laws of State Z include a simultaneous death provision under which two individuals who die within a 120-hour period of one another are treated as predeceasing each other. F dies four hours after A and under the laws of State Z, F is treated as predeceasing A. Because, under applicable State law, F is treated as predeceasing A, F is disregarded as a beneficiary of A.

(vi) Example 6. The facts are the same as in paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section (Example 1), except that B, who was alive as of the date of A's death, dies before September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of A's death. Prior to B's death, none of the events described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section occurred with respect to B. Accordingly, B is still a beneficiary taken into account for purposes of section 401(a)(9) regardless of the identity of B's successor beneficiaries.

(d) Application of beneficiary designation rules to surviving spouse. This paragraph (d) applies in the case of distributions to which § 1.401(a)(9)-3(e) applies (because the employee's spouse is the employee's sole beneficiary as of September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death, and the surviving spouse dies before distributions to the spouse have begun). If this paragraph (d) applies, then the determination of whether a person is a beneficiary of the surviving spouse is made using the rules of paragraph (c) of this section, except that the date of the surviving spouse's death is substituted for the date of the employee's death. Thus, a person is a beneficiary if, as of the date of the surviving spouse's death, that person is a beneficiary designated under the plan and remains a beneficiary as of September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the surviving spouse's death.

(e) Eligible designated beneficiaries—(1) In general. A designated beneficiary of the employee is an eligible designated beneficiary if, at the time of the employee's death, the designated beneficiary is—

(i) The surviving spouse of the employee;

(ii) A child of the employee (within the meaning of section 152(f)(1)) who has not reached the age of majority within the meaning of paragraph (e)(3) of this section;

(iii) Disabled within the meaning of paragraph (e)(4) of this section;

(iv) Chronically ill within the meaning of paragraph (e)(5) of this section;

(v) Not more than 10 years younger than the employee as determined under paragraph (e)(6) of this section; or

(vi) A designated beneficiary of an employee if the employee died before the effective date of section 401(a)(9)(H) described in § 1.401(a)(9)-1(b)(2)(i) and (ii), whichever applies to the plan.

(2) Multiple designated beneficiaries—(i) In general. Except as provided in paragraphs (e)(2)(ii) and (iii) of this section and § 1.401(a)(9)-8(a) (relating to separate account treatment), if the employee has more than one designated beneficiary, and at least one of those beneficiaries is not an eligible designated beneficiary, then the employee is treated as not having an eligible designated beneficiary.

(ii) Special rule for children. If any of the employee's designated beneficiaries is an eligible designated beneficiary because the beneficiary is the child of the employee who had not reached the age of majority at the time of the employee's death, then the employee is treated as having an eligible designated beneficiary even if the employee has other designated beneficiaries who are not eligible designated beneficiaries.

(iii) Special rule for applicable multi-beneficiary trust. If a trust that is designated as the beneficiary of an employee under a plan is an applicable multi-beneficiary trust described in paragraph (g) of this section, then the trust beneficiaries described in paragraph (g)(1)(ii) of this section are treated as eligible designated beneficiaries even if one or more of the other trust beneficiaries are not eligible designated beneficiaries.

(3) Determination of age of majority. An individual reaches the age of majority on the individual's 21st birthday.

(4) Disabled individual—(i) In general. Subject to the documentation requirements of paragraph (e)(7) of this section, an individual is disabled if, as of the date of the employee's death—

(A) The individual is described in paragraph (e)(4)(ii) or (iii) of this section; or

(B) Paragraph (e)(4)(iv) of this section applies to the individual.

(ii) Disability defined for individual who is age 18 or older. An individual who, as of the date of the employee's death, is age 18 or older is disabled if, as of that date, the individual is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or to be of long-continued and indefinite duration.

(iii) Disability defined for individual who is not age 18 or older. An individual who, as of the date of the employee's death, is not age 18 or older is disabled if, as of that date, that individual has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that results in marked and severe functional limitations and that can be expected to result in death or to be of long-continued and indefinite duration.

(iv) Use of social security disability determination. If the Commissioner of Social Security has determined that, as of the date of the employee's death, an individual is disabled within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. 1382c(a)(3), then that individual will be deemed to be disabled within the meaning of this paragraph (e)(4).

(5) Chronically ill individual. An individual is chronically ill if the individual is chronically ill within the definition of section 7702B(c)(2) and satisfies the documentation requirements of paragraph (e)(7) of this section. However, for purposes of the preceding sentence, an individual will be treated as chronically ill under section 7702B(c)(2)(A)(i) only if there is a certification from a licensed health care practitioner (as that term is defined in section 7702B(c)(4)) that, as of the date of the certification, the individual is unable to perform (without substantial assistance from another individual) at least 2 activities of daily living and the period of that inability is an indefinite one that is reasonably expected to be lengthy in nature.

(6) Individual not more than 10 years younger than the employee. Whether a designated beneficiary is not more than 10 years younger than the employee is determined based on the dates of birth of the employee and the beneficiary. Thus, for example, if an employee's date of birth is October 1, 1953, then the employee's beneficiary is not more than 10 years younger than the employee if the beneficiary was born on or before October 1, 1963.

(7) Documentation requirements for disabled or chronically ill individuals. This paragraph (e)(7) is satisfied with respect to an individual described in paragraph (e)(1)(iii) or (iv) of this section if documentation of the disability or chronic illness described in paragraph (e)(4) or (5) of this section, respectively, is provided to the plan administrator by October 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death (or October 31, 2025, if later). For individuals described in paragraph (e)(1)(iv) of this section, the documentation must include a certification from a licensed health care practitioner (as that term is defined in section 7702B(c)(4)).

(8) Applicability of definition of eligible designated beneficiary to beneficiary of surviving spouse. In a case to which § 1.401(a)(9)-3(e) applies, a designated beneficiary of the employee's surviving spouse is an eligible designated beneficiary provided that designated beneficiary would be an eligible designated beneficiary described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section if that paragraph were to be applied by substituting the surviving spouse for the employee.

(9) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this paragraph (e).

(i) Example 1. Employer M maintains a defined contribution plan, Plan X. Employee A designates A's child, B, as the sole beneficiary of A's interest in Plan X. B will not reach the age of majority until 2024. A dies on July 1, 2022, after A's required beginning date. As of the date of A's death, B is disabled within the meaning of paragraph (e)(4) of this section. On November 1, 2024, B satisfies the requirements of paragraph (e)(7) of this section by providing the plan administrator a letter from a licensed health care practitioner stating that, as of July 1, 2022, B is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of a physical impairment that can be expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration. Due to B's disability, B remains an eligible designated beneficiary even after reaching the age of majority in 2024, and Plan X is not required to distribute A's remaining interest in the plan by the end of 2034 pursuant to the rules of § 1.401(a)(9)-5(e)(4), but instead may continue life expectancy payments to B during B's lifetime.

(ii) Example 2. The facts are the same as in paragraph (e)(9)(i) of this section (Example 1), except that the documentation requirements of paragraph (e)(7) of this section are not timely satisfied with respect to B. B ceases to be an eligible designated beneficiary upon reaching the age of majority in 2024, and Plan X is required to distribute A's remaining interest in the plan by the end of 2034 pursuant to the rules of § 1.401(a)(9)-5(e)(4).

(iii) Example 3. The facts are the same as in paragraph (e)(9)(i) of this section (Example 1), except that B becomes disabled in 2023 (after A's death in 2022). Because B was not disabled as of the date of A's death, B ceases to be an eligible designated beneficiary upon reaching the age of majority in 2024, and Plan X is required to distribute A's remaining interest in the plan by the end of 2034 pursuant to the rules of § 1.401(a)(9)-5(e)(4).

(f) Special rules for trusts—(1) Look-through of trust to determine designated beneficiaries—(i) In general. If a trust that is designated as the beneficiary of an employee under a plan meets the requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section, then certain beneficiaries of the trust that are described in paragraph (f)(3) of this section (and not the trust itself) are treated as having been designated as beneficiaries of the employee under the plan, provided that those beneficiaries are not disregarded under paragraph (c)(2) of this section. A trust described in the preceding sentence is referred to as a see-through trust.

(ii) Types of trusts. The determination of which beneficiaries of a see-through trust are treated as having been designated as beneficiaries of the employee under the plan depends on whether the see-through trust is a conduit trust or an accumulation trust. For this purpose—

(A) The term conduit trust means a see-through trust, the terms of which provide that, with respect to the deceased employee's interest in the plan, all distributions will, upon receipt by the trustee, be paid directly to, or for the benefit of, specified trust beneficiaries; and

(B) The term accumulation trust means any see-through trust that is not a conduit trust.

(2) Trust requirements. The requirements of this paragraph (f)(2) are met if, during any period for which required minimum distributions are being determined by treating the beneficiaries of the trust as having been designated as beneficiaries of the employee under the plan, the following requirements are met—

(i) The trust is a valid trust under State law or would be but for the fact that there is no corpus.

(ii) The trust is irrevocable or will, by its terms, become irrevocable upon the death of the employee.

(iii) The beneficiaries of the trust who are beneficiaries with respect to the trust's interest in the employee's interest in the plan are identifiable (within the meaning of paragraph (f)(5) of this section) from the trust instrument.

(iv) The documentation requirements in paragraph (h) of this section have been satisfied.

(3) Trust beneficiaries treated as beneficiaries of the employee—(i) In general. Subject to the rules of paragraphs (f)(3)(ii) and (iii) of this section, the following beneficiaries of a see-through trust are treated as having been designated as beneficiaries of the employee under the plan—

(A) Any beneficiary that could receive amounts in the trust representing the employee's interest in the plan that are neither contingent upon, nor delayed until, the death of another trust beneficiary who did not predecease (and who is not treated as having predeceased) the employee; and

(B) Any beneficiary of an accumulation trust that could receive amounts in the trust representing the employee's interest in the plan that were not distributed to beneficiaries described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(A) of this section.

(ii) Certain trust beneficiaries disregarded—(A) Entitlement conditioned on death of beneficiary. Any beneficiary of an accumulation trust who could receive amounts from the trust representing the employee's interest in the plan solely because of the death of another beneficiary described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(B) of this section is not treated as having been designated as a beneficiary of the employee under the plan. The preceding sentence does not apply if the deceased beneficiary described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(B) of this section—

(1) Predeceased (or is treated as having predeceased) the employee; or

(2) Also is described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(A) of this section.

(B) Entitlement conditioned on death of young individual. If a beneficiary of a see-through trust is an individual who is treated as a beneficiary of the employee under paragraph (f)(3)(i)(A) of this section, and the terms of the trust require full distribution of amounts in the trust representing the employee's interest in the plan to that individual by the later of the end of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death or the end of the calendar year that includes the tenth anniversary of the date on which that individual reaches the age of majority (within the meaning of paragraph (e)(3) of this section), then any other beneficiary of the trust who could receive amounts in the trust representing the employee's interest in the plan if that individual dies before full distribution to that individual is made is not treated as having been designated as a beneficiary of the employee under the plan. The preceding sentence does not apply if the beneficiary who could receive amounts in the trust conditioned on the death of that individual also is described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(A) of this section.

(iii) Certain accumulations disregarded. For purposes of this paragraph (f)(3), a trust will not fail to be treated as a conduit trust merely because the trust terms requiring that distributions from the plan, upon receipt by the trustee, are paid directly to, or for the benefit of, trust beneficiaries do not apply after the death of all of the beneficiaries described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(A) of this section.

(iv) Treatment of payments for the benefit of a trust beneficiary. For purposes of this paragraph (f)(3), a trust beneficiary will be treated as if the beneficiary could receive amounts in the trust representing the employee's interest in the plan regardless of whether those amounts could be paid to that beneficiary or for the benefit of that beneficiary. Thus, for example, if a trust beneficiary is a minor child of the employee, payments that could be made to a custodial account for the benefit of that child are treated as amounts that could be received by the child.

(4) Multiple trust arrangements. If a beneficiary of a see-through trust is another trust, the beneficiaries of the second trust will be treated as beneficiaries of the first trust, provided that the requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section are satisfied with respect to the second trust. In that case, the beneficiaries of the second trust are treated as having been designated as beneficiaries of the employee under the plan.

(5) Identifiability of trust beneficiaries—(i) In general. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (f)(5), trust beneficiaries described in paragraph (f)(3) of this section are identifiable if it is possible to identify each person eligible to receive a portion of the employee's interest in the plan through the trust. For this purpose, the specificity requirements of paragraph (a)(3) of this section apply.

(ii) Power of appointment—(A) Exercise or release of power of appointment by September 30. A trust does not fail to satisfy the identifiability requirements of this paragraph (f)(5) merely because an individual (powerholder) has the power to appoint a portion of the employee's interest to one or more beneficiaries that are not identifiable within the meaning of paragraph (f)(5)(i) of this section. If the power of appointment is exercised in favor of one or more identifiable beneficiaries by September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death, then those identifiable beneficiaries are treated as beneficiaries designated under the plan. The preceding sentence also applies if, by that September 30, in lieu of exercising the power of appointment, the powerholder restricts it so that the power can be exercised at a later time in favor of only two or more identifiable beneficiaries (in which case, those identified beneficiaries are treated as beneficiaries designated under the plan). However, if, by that September 30, the power of appointment is not exercised (or restricted) in favor of one or more beneficiaries that are identifiable within the meaning of paragraph (f)(5)(i) of this section, then each taker in default (that is, any person that is entitled to the portion that represents the employee's interest in the plan subject to the power of appointment in the absence of the powerholder's exercise of the power) is treated as a beneficiary designated under the plan.

(B) Exercise of power of appointment after September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death. If an individual has a power of appointment to appoint a portion of the employee's interest to one or more beneficiaries and the individual exercises the power of appointment after September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death, then the rules of paragraph (f)(5)(iv) of this section apply with respect to any trust beneficiary that is added pursuant to the exercise of the power of appointment.

(iii) Modification of trust terms—(A) State law will not cause trust to fail to satisfy identifiability requirement. A trust will not fail to satisfy the identifiability requirements of this paragraph (f)(5) merely because the trust is subject to State law that permits the trust terms to be modified after the death of the employee (such as through a court reformation or a permitted decanting) and thus, permits changing the beneficiaries of the trust.

(B) Modification of trust to remove trust beneficiaries. If a trust beneficiary described in paragraph (f)(3) of this section is removed pursuant to a modification of trust terms (such as through a court reformation or a permitted decanting) by September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death, then that person is disregarded in determining the employee's designated beneficiary.

(C) Modification of trust to add trust beneficiaries. If a trust beneficiary described in paragraph (f)(3) of this section is added through a modification of trust terms (such as through a court reformation or a permitted decanting) on or before September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death, then paragraph (c) of this section will apply taking into account the beneficiary that was added. If the beneficiary is added after that September 30, then the rules of paragraph (f)(5)(iv) of this section will apply with respect to the addition of that beneficiary.

(iv) Addition of beneficiary after September 30. If, after September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death, a trust beneficiary described in paragraph (f)(3) of this section is added as a trust beneficiary (whether through the exercise of a power of appointment, the modification of trust terms, or otherwise), then—

(A) The addition of the beneficiary will not cause the trust to fail to satisfy the identifiability requirements of this paragraph (f)(5);

(B) Beginning in the calendar year following the calendar year in which the new trust beneficiary was added, the rules of § 1.401(a)(9)-5(f)(1) will apply taking into account the new beneficiary and all of the beneficiaries of the trust that were treated as beneficiaries of the employee before the addition of the new beneficiary; and

(C) Subject to paragraph (f)(5)(v) of this section, the rules of paragraphs (b) and (e)(2) of this section and § 1.401(a)(9)-5(f)(2) will apply taking into account the new beneficiary and all of the beneficiaries of the trust that were treated as beneficiaries of the employee before the addition of the new beneficiary.

(v) Delay in full distribution requirement. This paragraph (f)(5)(v) provides a special rule that applies if a full distribution of the employee's entire interest in the plan is not required in a calendar year pursuant to § 1.401(a)(9)-5(e), but a beneficiary is added in that calendar year. In that case, if, taking into account the added beneficiary pursuant to paragraph (f)(5)(iv)(C) of this section, a full distribution of the employee's entire interest in the plan would have been required in that calendar year or an earlier calendar year, then a full distribution of the employee's entire interest in the plan will not be required until the end of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the beneficiary is added. For example, if life expectancy payments are being made to an eligible designated beneficiary and, more than 10 years after the employee's death, a beneficiary is added who is not an eligible designated beneficiary as described in paragraph (e) of this section, then the employee is treated as not having an eligible designated beneficiary for purposes of § 1.401(a)(9)-5(e)(2) (so that a full distribution of the employee's entire interest in the plan would have been required within 10 years of the employee's death). However, pursuant to this paragraph (f)(5)(v), the full distribution of the employee's entire interest in the plan is not required until the end of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the new trust beneficiary was added.

(6) Examples. The following examples illustrate the see-through trust rules of this paragraph (f).

(i) Example 1—(A) Facts. Employer L maintains a defined contribution plan, Plan W. Unmarried Employee C died in 2024 at age 30. Prior to C's death, C named a testamentary trust (Trust T) that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section, as the beneficiary of C's interest in Plan W. The terms of Trust T require that all distributions received from Plan W, upon receipt by the trustee, be paid directly to D, C's sibling, who is 5 years older than C. The terms of Trust T also provide that, if D dies before C's entire account balance has been distributed to D, E will be the beneficiary of C's remaining account balance.

(B) Analysis. Pursuant to paragraph (f)(1)(ii)(A) of this section, Trust T is a conduit trust. Because Trust T is a conduit trust (meaning the residual beneficiary rule in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(B) of this section does not apply) and because E is only entitled to any portion of C's account if D dies before the entire account has been distributed, E is disregarded in determining C's designated beneficiary. Because D is an eligible designated beneficiary, D may use the life expectancy rule of § 1.401(a)(9)-3(c)(4). Accordingly, even if D dies before C's entire interest in Plan W is distributed to Trust T, D's life expectancy continues to be used to determine the applicable denominator. Note, however, that because § 1.401(a)(9)-5(e)(3) applies in this situation, a distribution of C's entire interest in Plan W will be required no later than the end of the calendar year that includes the tenth anniversary of D's death.

(ii) Example 2—(A) Facts related to plan and beneficiary. Employer M maintains a defined contribution plan, Plan X. Employee A died in 2024 at the age of 55, survived by Spouse B, who was then 50 years old. A's account balance in Plan X is invested only in productive assets and was includible in A's gross estate under section 2039. A named a testamentary trust (Trust P) as the beneficiary of all amounts payable from A's account in Plan X after A's death. Trust P satisfies the see-through trust requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section.

(B) Facts related to trust. Under the terms of Trust P, all trust income is payable annually to B, and no one has the power to appoint or distribute Trust P principal to any person other than B. A's sibling, C, who is less than 10 years younger than A (and thus is an eligible designated beneficiary) and is younger than B, is the sole residual beneficiary of Trust P. Also, under the terms of Trust P, if C predeceases B, then, upon B's death, all Trust P principal is distributed to Charity Z (an organization exempt from tax under section 501(c)(3)). No other person has a beneficial interest in Trust P. Under the terms of Trust P, B has the power, exercisable annually, to compel the trustee to withdraw from A's account balance in Plan X an amount equal to the income earned during the calendar year on the assets held in A's account in Plan X and to distribute that amount through Trust P to B. Plan X includes no prohibition on withdrawal from A's account of amounts in excess of the annual required minimum distributions under section 401(a)(9). In accordance with the terms of Plan X, the trustee of Trust P elects to take annual life expectancy payments pursuant to section 401(a)(9)(B)(iii). If B exercises the withdrawal power, the trustee must withdraw from A's account under Plan X the greater of the amount of income earned in the account during the calendar year or the required minimum distribution. However, under the terms of Trust P, and applicable State law, only the portion of the Plan X distribution received by the trustee equal to the income earned by A's account in Plan X is required to be distributed to B (along with any other trust income).

(C) Analysis. Because Trust P does not require that distributions from A's account in Plan X to Trust P, upon receipt by the trustee, be paid directly to (or for the benefit of) B, Trust P is not a conduit trust and accordingly is an accumulation trust (as described in paragraph (f)(1)(ii)(B) of this section). Pursuant to paragraph (f)(3)(i)(B) of this section, C, as the residual beneficiary of Trust P, is treated as a beneficiary designated under Plan X (even though access to those amounts is delayed until after B's death). Pursuant to paragraph (f)(2)(iii)(A) of this section, because Charity Z's entitlement to amounts in the trust is based on the death of a beneficiary described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(B) of this section who is not also described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(A) of this section, Charity Z is disregarded as a beneficiary of A. Under § 1.401(a)(9)-5(f)(1), the designated beneficiary used to determine the applicable denominator is the oldest of the designated beneficiaries of Trust P's interest in Plan X. B is the oldest of the beneficiaries of Trust P's interest in Plan X (including residual beneficiaries). Thus, the applicable denominator for purposes of section 401(a)(9)(B)(iii) is B's life expectancy. Because C is a beneficiary of A's account in Plan X in addition to B, B is not the sole beneficiary of A's account and the special rule in section 401(a)(9)(B)(iv) and § 1.401(a)(9)-3(d) is not available. Accordingly, the annual required minimum distributions from the account to Trust P must begin no later than the end of the calendar year following the calendar year of A's death.

(iii) Example 3—(A) Facts. The facts are the same as in paragraph (f)(6)(ii) of this section (Example 2), except that C is more than 10 years younger than A, meaning that at least one of the beneficiaries of Trust P's interest in Plan X is not an eligible designated beneficiary.

(B) Analysis. Pursuant to paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section, A is treated as not having an eligible designated beneficiary. Pursuant to § 1.401(a)(9)-3(c)(5), the trustee of Trust P is not permitted to make an election to take annual life expectancy distributions and the 10-year rule of § 1.401(a)(9)-3(c)(3) applies.

(iv) Example 4—(A) Facts related to plan and beneficiary. Employer N maintains a defined contribution plan, Plan Y. Employee F died in 2025 at the age of 60. F named a testamentary trust (Trust Q), which was established under F's will, as the beneficiary of all amounts payable from F's account in Plan X after F's death. Trust Q satisfies the see-through trust requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section.

(B) Facts related to trust. Under the terms of Trust Q, all trust income is payable to F's surviving spouse G for life, no person has the power to appoint or distribute Trust Q principal to any person other than G, and G has a testamentary power of appointment to name the beneficiaries of the remainder in Trust Q. The power of appointment provides that, if G does not exercise the power, then upon G's death, F's descendants, per stirpes, are entitled to the remainder interest in Trust Q. As of the date of F's death, F has two children, K and L, neither of whom is disabled, chronically ill, or under age 21. Before September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which F died, G irrevocably restricts G's power of appointment so that G may exercise the power to appoint the remainder beneficiaries of Trust Q only in favor of G's siblings (who all are less than 10 years younger than F and thus, are eligible designated beneficiaries).

(C) Analysis. Pursuant to paragraph (f)(5)(ii)(A) of this section, because G timely restricted the power of appointment so that G may exercise the power to appoint the residual interest in Trust Q only in favor of G's siblings, the designated beneficiaries are G and G's siblings. Because all of the designated beneficiaries are eligible designated beneficiaries, annual life expectancy payments are permitted under section 401(a)(9)(B)(iii). Note, however, that because § 1.401(a)(9)-5(e)(3) applies, a distribution of the remaining interest is required by no later than 10 years after the calendar year in which the oldest of G and G's siblings dies.

(v) Example 5—(A) Facts. The facts are the same as in paragraph (f)(6)(iv) of this section (Example 4), except that G does not restrict the power by September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of F's death.

(B) Analysis. Pursuant to paragraph (f)(5)(ii)(A) of this section, G, K, and L are treated as F's beneficiaries. Pursuant to § 1.401(a)(9)-3(c)(5), because K and L are not eligible designated beneficiaries, the trustee of Trust Q is not permitted to make an election to take annual life expectancy distributions, and the 10-year rule of § 1.401(a)(9)-3(c)(3) applies.

(g) Applicable multi-beneficiary trust—(1) Certain see-through trusts with disabled or chronically ill beneficiaries. An applicable multi-beneficiary trust is a see-through trust with more than one beneficiary and with respect to which—

(i) All of the trust beneficiaries are designated beneficiaries;

(ii) The trust terms identify one or more individuals, each of whom is disabled (as defined in paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section) or chronically ill (as defined in paragraph (e)(1)(iv) of this section), who are described in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(A) of this section; and

(iii) The terms of the trust provide that no beneficiary (other than an individual described in paragraph (g)(1)(ii) of this section) has any right to the employee's interest in the plan until the death of all of the eligible designated beneficiaries described in paragraph (g)(1)(ii) of this section.

(2) Termination of interest in trust. A provision in the trust agreement that permits the termination of the interest in the trust of a beneficiary described in paragraph (g)(1)(ii) of this section prior to that beneficiary's death will not cause the trust to fail to be treated as an applicable multi-beneficiary trust, but only if paragraph (g)(1)(iii) of this section continues to apply. Upon the death of the last to survive of the beneficiaries described in paragraph (g)(1)(ii) of this section, the trust is treated as having been modified as of the date of that death to add the other trust beneficiaries. Thus, if the death occurs after September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the employee's death, the rules of paragraph (f)(5)(iv) of this section will apply.

(3) Special definition of designated beneficiary. For purposes of paragraph (g)(1)(i) of this section, any beneficiary that is an organization described in section 408(d)(8)(B)(i) (certain organizations to which a charitable contribution may be made) is treated as a designated beneficiary.

(h) Documentation requirements for trusts—(1) General rule. The documentation requirements of this paragraph (h) are satisfied if—

(i) With respect to required minimum distributions for a distribution calendar year that begins on or before the date of the employee's death, paragraph (h)(2) of this section is satisfied no later than the first day of the distribution calendar year; or

(ii) With respect to required minimum distributions for a distribution calendar year that begins after the date of the employee's death, or that begins after the employee's surviving spouse has died in a case to which § 1.401(a)(9)-3(d) applies, paragraph (h)(3) of this section is satisfied no later than October 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year that includes the employee's date of death or the date of death of the employee's surviving spouse, respectively.

(2) Required minimum distributions while employee is still alive—(i) In general. If an employee designates a trust as the beneficiary of the employee's entire benefit and the employee's spouse is the only beneficiary of the trust treated as a beneficiary of the employee pursuant to the rules of paragraph (f) of this section, then, in order to satisfy the documentation requirements of this paragraph (h)(2) (so that the applicable denominator for a distribution calendar year may be determined under the rules of § 1.401(a)(9)-5(c)(2), assuming the other requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section are satisfied), the employee must satisfy either the requirements of paragraph (h)(2)(ii) of this section (requiring the employee to provide a copy of the trust instrument) or the requirements of paragraph (h)(2)(iii) of this section (requiring the employee to provide a list of beneficiaries). The plan administrator may determine which of the two alternatives in the preceding sentence is available to the employee.

(ii) Employee to provide copy of trust instrument. An employee satisfies the requirements of this paragraph (h)(2)(ii) if the employee—

(A) Provides the plan administrator a copy of the trust instrument; and

(B) Agrees that, if the trust instrument is amended at any time in the future, the employee will, within a reasonable time, provide the plan administrator a copy of each amendment.

(iii) Employee to provide list of beneficiaries. An employee satisfies the requirements of this paragraph (h)(2)(iii) if the employee—

(A) Provides the plan administrator a list of all of the beneficiaries of the trust (including contingent beneficiaries) with a description of the conditions on their entitlement sufficient to establish that the spouse is the only beneficiary of the trust treated as a beneficiary of the employee pursuant to the rules of paragraph (f) of this section;

(B) Certifies that, to the best of the employee's knowledge, the list described in paragraph (h)(2)(iii)(A) of this section is correct and complete and that the requirements of paragraphs (f)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section are satisfied; and

(C) Agrees that, if the trust instrument is amended at any time in the future, the employee will, within a reasonable time, provide the plan administrator corrected certifications to the extent that the amendment changes any information previously certified; and

(D) Agrees to provide a copy of the trust instrument to the plan administrator upon request.

(3) Required minimum distributions after death—(i) In general. In order to satisfy the documentation requirement of this paragraph (h)(3) for required minimum distributions after the death of the employee (or after the death of the employee's surviving spouse in a case to which § 1.401(a)(9)-3(d) applies), the trustee of the trust must satisfy the requirements of either paragraph (h)(3)(ii) (requiring the trustee to provide a list of beneficiaries) or paragraph (h)(3)(iii) of this section (requiring the trustee to provide a copy of the trust instrument). The plan administrator may determine which of the two alternatives in the preceding sentence is available for the trust.

(ii) Trustee to provide list of beneficiaries. A trustee satisfies the requirements of this paragraph (h)(3)(ii) if the trustee—

(A) Provides the plan administrator a final list of all beneficiaries of the trust as of September 30 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the death (including contingent beneficiaries) with a description of the conditions on their entitlement sufficient to establish which of those beneficiaries are treated as beneficiaries of the employee (or surviving spouse, if applicable);

(B) Certifies that, to the best of the trustee's knowledge, this list is correct and complete and that the requirements of paragraphs (f)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section are satisfied; and

(C) Agrees to provide a copy of the trust instrument to the plan administrator upon request.

(iii) Trustee to provide copy of trust instrument. A trustee satisfies the requirements of this paragraph (h)(3)(iii) if the trustee provides the plan administrator with a copy of the actual trust document for the trust that is named as a beneficiary of the employee under the plan as of the employee's date of death.

(4) Relief for discrepancy between trust instrument and employee certifications or earlier trust instruments—(i) In general. If required minimum distributions are determined based on the information provided to the plan administrator in certifications or trust instruments described in paragraph (h)(2) or (3) of this section, a plan will not fail to satisfy section 401(a)(9) merely because the actual terms of the trust instrument are inconsistent with the information in those certifications or trust instruments previously provided to the plan administrator, but only if—

(A) The plan administrator reasonably relied on the information provided; and

(B) The required minimum distributions for calendar years after the calendar year in which the discrepancy is discovered are determined based on the actual terms of the trust instrument.

(ii) Excise tax. For purposes of determining the amount of the excise tax under section 4974, the required minimum distribution is determined for any year based on the actual terms of the trust in effect during the year.

[T.D. 8987, 67 FR 18994, Apr. 17, 2002, as amended by T.D. 9130, 69 FR 33293, June 15, 2004; T.D. 10001, 89 FR 58907, July 19, 2024]