General Securities Sales Supervisor (Series10) Practice Exam

At what age must an employee in a qualified retirement plan start taking distributions to avoid penalties?

1. A 59 ½

2. B 65

3. C 70 ½

4. D 75

The correct answer is: C 70 ½

The requirement for taking distributions from a qualified retirement plan, specifically to avoid penalties, centers around what is known as the Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) rule, which mandates that individuals must begin taking distributions from their retirement accounts by a certain age. The correct age for this requirement is 70 ½, which was established to ensure that individuals begin withdrawing funds from their tax-deferred accounts. This rule helps to prevent individuals from indefinitely deferring taxes on their retirement savings while still allowing for tax-free growth during their retirement years. Options like 59 ½ can be misleading; while that age allows for penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts like IRAs, it is not the age when required minimum distributions must begin. Similarly, ages 65 and 75 do not specifically signify the start of RMDs under current regulations, which were set before any recent legislative changes that altered the RMD age. As of the latest updates, individuals may begin taking distributions at 72, aligning with recent legislative adjustments, but the specific age for avoiding penalties that is still relevant in this context is 70 ½. Thus, recognizing this requirement is essential for compliance and financial planning regarding retirement funds.