The government wants to tax as much money as they can before we pass away because they get so much more tax revenues than what our loved ones would have to pay in inheritance taxes. You didn't think they had our best interests in mind to force us to take distributions did you?
Keep this in mind come November, because it's the Republicans who are trying to put more money in our pockets so we can buy things thus stimulating the economy and bringing in more tax revenues this way. Democrats not only want to keep the distribution age where it is, they're the ones who also wanted to increase inheritance taxes where Republicans have been trying to get them totally taken away. Why penalize our beneficiaries when the money has already been taxed? This is how the Democrat Party rolls, they promise free stuff to get elected and don't want people to know what goes on behind the scenes to pay for it.