“I began receiving required minimum distributions from my company’s retirement plan. Can l roll over these amounts into my IRA?”

“No. Rollovers to IRAs of required minimum distributions (RMDs) from a retirement plan are not permitted. This is true whether the RMD is made because you turned age 70½ or because you retired after age 70½. If you receive your entire account balance in a lump sum, any portion that is an RMD cannot be rolled over, but the remainder can be. For example, if you are retired from the company holding your retirement plan and turned 70½ this year, part of any lump sum received this year cannot be rolled over because the lump sum will include your first year’s RMD, even though your first year’s RMD can be put off until April 1 next year.”

Nothing new here, but nice to see the IRS answers these types of queries. From the Spring 2008 edition of “Retitement News for Employers”