IRS Spousal Beneficiary Options (Again)

[Guest ptpnthr]

I have searched similar questions and answers on this message board but I am still confused about a surviving spouse's options. Assume the IRA owner (male) dies and the surviving spouse (female) was 50% beneficiary and another party was 50% beneficiary. Assume the IRA owner had not reached RBD by date of death.

What are the results of the following on (i) the date distributions must commence, (ii) the period, life or joint lives over which the distributions must be made, and (iii) the ability of the surviving spouse to name a new beneficiary?

1. The surviving spouse elects to keep her interest in the same IRA.

2. The surviving spouse elects to rollover her interest into a new IRA.

Assume that instead of the above scenario the surviving spouse is the sole beneficiary? What effects do the following have on (i) the date distributions must commence, (ii) the period, life or joint lives over which the distributions must be made, and (iii) the ability of the surviving spouse to name a new beneficiary?

3. The surviving spouse elects to keep her interest in the same IRA.

4. The surviving spouse elects to rollover her interest into a new IRA as a spousal beneficiary.

5. The surviving spouse elects to treat the IRA as her own.

It may be that 4. and 5. are the same.

[mbozek]

See P 18 and P 33-34 of IRS Pub 590 located at www.IRS.gov for answers.