IRA Beneficiary
12. (If You Die With) No Beneficiary
What happens if you die without a beneficiary? That depends upon WHEN you die.
If you have not named a beneficiary and you die BEFORE your Required Beginning Date, your account must be paid out within five years.
If you have not named a beneficiary and you die AFTER your Required Beginning Date, distributions will be paid over the remaining years of your "fixed life expectancy." This is determined from an IRS table based on your age in the year you die.