Pension, Retirement, and Investment Accounts
How do I claim their 401k or IRA as a surviving spouse?
Short answer
Contact the plan administrator or brokerage. As a surviving spouse named as beneficiary, you have a unique option: you can roll the account into your own IRA and treat it as your own, or you can keep it as an inherited IRA…
What this usually means
Contact the plan administrator or brokerage. As a surviving spouse named as beneficiary, you have a unique option: you can roll the account into your own IRA and treat it as your own, or you can keep it as an inherited IRA with different distribution rules. The choice has significant tax implications — consult a CPA or financial advisor before deciding.
What to do next
- Start the PathAfter checklist for situation-aware first steps.
- Find California county help for coroner contacts, vital records, cost tools, and paperwork.
- Open the First 72 Hours Call Log before making calls.
- Open the Documents to Find Checklist when you are ready for paperwork.