RMD from IRA?

[Pension RC]

A 401(k) plan covers a doctor, age 71 and his wife (not yet 70 1/2). I recently sent required minimum distribution paperwork to the doctor. Today, his financial advisor called me and said, "Don't worry. We've already satisfied his 401(k) RMD by increasing the amount he took as an RMD from his IRA." I thought that the RMD has to come from 401(k) plan assets.

Who is correct?

Thanks for any responses!

[ESOP Guy]

Point the advisor to this IRS website

https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-required-minimum-distributions#5

This FAQ I quote:

Can an account owner just take a RMD from one account instead of separately from each account?

An IRA owner must calculate the RMD separately for each IRA that he or she owns, but can withdraw the total amount from one or more of the IRAs. Similarly, a 403(b) contract owner must calculate the RMD separately for each 403(b) contract that he or she owns, but can take the total amount from one or more of the 403(b) contracts.

However, RMDs required from other types of retirement plans, such as 401(k) and 457(b) plans have to be taken separately from each of those plan accounts.

You are correct and the advisor is not.

[bzorc]

The doctor has to take a MRD from the 401(k) Plan; can't combine with the IRA. Multiple IRA MRD's can be combined and taken from one IRA only, if the owner has multiple IRA's.