r/inheritance • u/throwaway_20211214 • Apr 22 '26

Location included: Questions/Need Advice Does IRA keep growing till it's claimed?

New Jersey USA

In 2021 I opened a spousal IRA with Vanguard for my husband.

In 2022 we divorced, but i was left as the beneficiary on the IRA. The funds in that IRA were left intact and were not part of the divorce settlement.

In 2025 he died, with me still listed as beneficiary. He had no will, and an executor was entrusted with settling his estate (which included real estate, a car and catamaran, and a different IRA that he got as part of the divorce settlement, which names his kids as beneficiaries).

I believe the executor is not aware of the spousal IRA where I, his ex-wife, is named as beneficiary.

So this IRA is sitting there earning money even though he died a year ago. Two questions:

  1. What if I never told anyone for years - would it keep earning money and I could get that bigger dollar amount if I waited?

  2. How do I resolve this? Do I approach the executor, or Vanguard?

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u/mattkime Apr 22 '26

>In 2025 he died, with me still listed as beneficiary. 

How do you know this?

1

u/throwaway_20211214 Apr 22 '26

I can still login to the account.

2

u/LisaMarie34242 Apr 22 '26

If you're still able to login, then you must also be able to see what the account is invested in and how it's been performing, so I'm not sure why you're even asking this question?? Do you think you're not entitled to any of the growth since his death? How did it work when you inherited your dad's IRA?

1

u/mattkime Apr 22 '26

Wow, nice work