I tell every client to remember one thing about Washington: Whatever Congress names a new law, expect it to do the opposite.

The SECURE Act is a perfect example. For most families, it secured very little. Starting January 1, 2020, it ended the "stretch IRA," which let heirs spread withdrawals over their lifetimes, and replaced it with a 10-year deadline .

Consider Lisa, a hypothetical heir who inherits a $500,000 traditional IRA from her father at 55. She and her husband earn $200,000 a year, and she doesn't need the money, so her plan is to leave it alone and let it grow. It feels prudent. It could hand the IRS about a third of her inheritance.

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