Personal Finance and Investing

I think Fidelity might be one of those where I couldn't in-kind transfer like that. How the heck would I find that discussion?

Anyway, one can sell, transfer, and buy the same stock or fund again 2 or 3 days later after it settles. I don't think that would be subject to the wash sale rule because the sale was in an IRA and so one didn't get any tax advantage from doing that.

And as the excerpt points out, the stock in the taxable account -- and its dividends if qualified -- are subject to the lower capital gains tax rate, and enjoy the step-up in basis on death, so its not a horrible catastrophic financial calamity.

Edited to add Anyway, I've been taking RMDs every year since 2005 or 2006 from my inherited IRA as required by law (one must take RMDs on inherited IRAs no matter what age one is). I did it via selling part of an equity fund, transferring the cash (the RMD, via clicking the "withdraw from IRA" button) to my taxable account, and then buying whatever I felt like buying a few days later, usually equities, and I never worried my pretty little head off about it because it wasn't a big deal.

Yeah, maybe once or twice there might have been a big up-move in the markets during those few days that I had this small amount out of the equity markets, so it cost me that. They say hardship builds character. And then you die.

Maybe a few times there was a big down-move too and it was a blessing (sell high buy low).