Deciding whether to leave your children a 401(k) or cash isn’t just a money question – it’s a math problem wrapped in a tax headache, tied with a bow of “What will the IRS take next?” Bridget, a listener of The Women & Money Podcast with Suze Orman, nailed it with her question in September, asking: “Is it better to leave a 401(k) to children or cash?”
Bridget admitted her kids would likely choose cash without hesitation. Still, she recognized the complexities of inheritance rules, asking whether she and her husband should live off their cash in retirement or spend down their 401(k). Oh, and with no small amount of pride, she shared that all her daughters opened Roth IRAs early – her youngest even started at 18.
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Suze’s response? Classic tough-love brilliance: “Why don’t you have a Roth 401(k)? Why don’t you convert? Why don’t you do things like that? So that when they do inherit, it’s not that big of a deal.” She didn’t sugarcoat her advice for a second. “You are to listen to me and listen to me closely.”
Suze challenged Bridget’s focus on her kids’ financial well-being, saying, “Why don’t you care about you and your husband and what you’re gonna do when you get older and what is best for you? Stop worrying about the kids and mama bear and start worrying about yourself. Typical mother, right?” It was a call to action, urging Bridget to prioritize her own financial security over planning her children’s inheritance.
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Her advice centered on making smarter use of Roth accounts. “Roth 401(k). Start doing that. Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow,” Suze urged, adding that the choice between spending cash or drawing from a 401(k) depends heavily on tax brackets and financial circumstances during retirement. Essentially, it’s not about leaving more money – it’s about structuring it to benefit everyone, starting with you.
While Suze’s advice is spot-on – converting to a Roth 401(k) can shield your kids from hefty tax bills on inherited 401(k)s – it’s worth asking a few extra questions. For starters, how secure is your financial plan? If you and your husband spend down your cash reserves to preserve a 401(k), will you leave yourselves vulnerable to unexpected expenses? And what if future tax laws shift (because, let’s face it, they always do)? That Roth 401(k) strategy might not feel like a silver bullet if the rules change again.
