facebook twitter instagram linkedin google youtube vimeo tumblr yelp rss email podcast phone blog search brokercheck brokercheck Play Pause
IRA Acronyms  Thumbnail

IRA Acronyms

When presenting a particular section of our training manual, I usually make the joke that, “if we were playing an acronym drinking game, we would all be on our way to a hangover.” The segment is titled: “Missed stretch IRA RMD by an EDB, when the IRA owner dies before the RBD.” This part of the manual discusses the automatic waiver of the missed RMD penalty in a certain situation, and the acronym soup is borderline comical. So that everyone knows which end is up, here is a spiked punch bowl of common retirement-account-related acronyms.

IRA Acronyms


IRA: Individual retirement arrangement. (Not “account!”)

RMD: Required minimum distribution. Minimum amount that must be withdrawn from a retirement account each year after reaching a certain age.

RBD: Required beginning date (for starting RMDs). Generally, April 1 of the year after the year a person turns 73.

QLAC: Qualifying longevity annuity contract. An annuity whose value (up to $200,000) can be excluded from an IRA owner’s balance for RMD calculation purposes.

EDB: Eligible designated beneficiary. Category of beneficiary who may take stretch RMDs.

NEDB: Non eligible designated beneficiary. Category of beneficiary who gets the 10-year rule.

NDB: Non designated beneficiary. Category of beneficiary that includes “non-people,” like an estate or charity. Payout rules applicable to NEDBs are the 5-year rule or “ghost rule.”

ALAR: At least as rapidly. The rule dictating that when RMDs have begun, they must be continued by the beneficiary. ALAR is a function of frequency, not amount.

QCD: Qualified charitable distribution. A distribution from an IRA to a qualified charity, subject to an age requirement of 70 ½ or older.

CWA: Contemporaneous written acknowledgement. This is just a receipt for your QCD!

CGA: Charitable gift annuity. A one-time QCD of $53,000 (for 2024) can go to an entity like a CGA, CRAT (charitable remainder annuity trust), or CRUT (charitable remainder unitrust).

DAF: Donor advised fund. A QCD cannot be made to a DAF.

NUA: Net unrealized appreciation. Tax strategy used to pay long term capital gains on the appreciation of company stock. (Be sure to know all the NUA rules before proceeding.)

NIA: Net income attributable. The gain or loss on an excess IRA contribution.

QDRO: Qualified domestic relations order. Used to split a retirement plan after divorce.

SECURE Act: Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act.


I feel dizzy. Maybe I should go lie down and sleep it off.

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF®
IRA Analyst
Ed Slott and Company, LLC

Christian Cordoba, founder of California Retirement Advisors, has been a member of Ed Slott's Master Elite IRA Advisor Group since 2007.

Copyright © 2024, Ed Slott and Company, LLC Reprinted from The Slott Report, 09/23/24, with permission. https://irahelp.com/slottreport/ira-acronyms/, Ed Slott and Company, LLC takes no responsibility for the current accuracy of this article. 
Investment advisory services offered through Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA California Retirement Advisors, a SEC registered investment advisor. Securities offered through Mutual Securities, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Mutual Securities, Inc. and Mutual Advisors, LLC are affiliated companies. CA Insurance license #0B09076. This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information and provided by California Retirement Advisors. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. California Retirement Advisors, nor any of its members, are tax accountants or legal attorneys and do not provide tax or legal advice. For tax or legal advice, you should consult your tax or legal professional.