Stretch ira planning likely to be limited

A common estate planning tool is to leave an IRA to a spouse and then grandchildren.  This allows the payments to be made over the lifetime of a grandchildren after the death of a spouse.  This is known as "stretch" IRA planning.  A provision attached to the current federal appropriations bill would limit stretch IRA planning to 10 years.  The bill is expected to be passed and signed this week.  This will mean leaving retirement benefits to spouses and then children, rather to spouses and then grandchildren.  The required beginning date for distributions will be increased to a age 72.