Should you ever pass up a chance to get more money? It depends. Suppose you're in line to inherit IRA assets. When it makes sense, you might use a "qualified disclaimer" so that the assets bypass you on the way to someone else.

A disclaimer is a legal document that lets you waive your right to receive money or property from an estate. If you execute a disclaimer, it's as if you never inherited the assets. Instead, they go directly to the next people in line to receive them. In the case of an IRA, the assets typically wind up with the account's contingent beneficiaries.

Why would you do this? There are two main reasons: