Is a Roth IRA Conversion Right for You?

What is a Roth IRA?

A Roth IRA is a tax-advantaged individual retirement account to which you can contribute after-tax dollars. A Roth conversion is when you take earned income from another retirement account and put it into a Roth IRA or a series of Roth IRA accounts.

Benefits of a Roth IRA

Tax-free growth and no required minimum distribution at retirement age

The benefits of a Roth IRA are tax-free growth of your money, no required minimum distribution, and the money eventually can be passed to your beneficiaries tax-free. What concerns people is that to convert to a Roth IRA requires you to pay taxes on that money upfront. But this isn’t necessarily an impediment, especially if you are in a lower tax bracket and think that you may be in a higher one in the future. Also, your wealth within the account may be higher, so the taxes upon distribution in the future, if you were to keep a Traditional IRA, could be steeper.

A Roth IRA conversion has no contribution limits.

Another benefit is if you do a conversion, there are no limits to how much you can put into the Roth IRA. When you convert, you take the money from the Traditional IRA and reposition it into the Roth IRA. The limitations occur when you make a general contribution. You can contribute to a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA (subject to eligibility) up to $7,000 ($8,000 if you are age 50 and over) for the tax year. Nobody knows why these contribution limits exist, but they do.

Taking advantage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act established in 2017, effectively lowered income tax brackets for most people. Currently, the seven federal tax rates include 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. After December 31, 2025, these may increase. So now might not be a bad time to consider a Roth IRA conversion. If the tax brackets return to their previous levels or higher than today, had you converted, you would have already paid the lower tax and wouldn’t be subject to the higher tax burden.

How the conversion works and the Roth IRA income ceiling

If you are eligible for a Roth IRA to contribute without converting, there is an income ceiling. If you file taxes as a single person, your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) has to be under $161,000 for the tax year (2024), and if you are married filing jointly, and your MAGI is less than $230,000 you can contribute. If your MAGI is greater than or equal to $230,000 but less than $240,000 for the tax year (2024) you may benefit from a partial contribution. If you already have money in the Traditional IRA you can convert it to the Roth IRA as much as you want, albeit, again, it will be taxed. But it is that simple. If you find that your MAGI is over the threshold but still want to put money into a Roth IRA, you can use the conversion to do it. First, you put your money into a Traditional IRA and then convert it to the Roth IRA (called a “Backdoor” conversion).

Recharacterization

Let’s say you converted all your money in your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA but then decided that the tax bill is too much or wasn’t for you for whatever reason. You have until October 15 of the following year to fix what you did to the way it was before without experiencing a tax consequence. This is called “recharacterization.”

When and when not to convert

The younger you are, the more the Roth IRA makes sense. A young person is potentially in a lower tax bracket, and they have time on their side, and a Roth is typically a long-term financial instrument. If you think you want to take the money out in a few years, you may want to reconsider the conversion. A young person would hesitate to withdraw early due to being penalized (see below).

Suppose you are 65 or older and eligible for Medicare. In that case, you may want to be careful converting to a Roth IRA because if your income is over the qualifying threshold for IRMAA (Income-related monthly adjustment amount), you could end up paying additional costs. Your 2024 IRMAA brackets are based on your MAGI (two years previous) from 2022. That means if you earned, for example, $103,000 or less as a single filer, or $206,000 for a married filing jointly, there will be no IRMAA surcharge. If you are over the threshold, Medicare Part B and/or Part D pay a surcharge that’s added to their Part B and Part D premiums. The Social Security Administration will send notice if you are being assessed IRMAA.

It would be best if you had enough cash to cover the tax bill

As mentioned above, the caveat to converting your funds to a Roth IRA is that you have enough cash to cover the tax bill. Some people consider converting their funds from a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA with multiple contributions instead of all at once. You would claim each contribution on your tax return as income because doing so in multiple stages might keep you from bumping into a higher tax bracket, so you may want to pay attention to that.

Is my Roth IRA deductible?

Unlike contributions to a traditional IRA, which may be tax-deductible, a Roth IRA is not tax deductible.

Withdrawing the funds early

Also, if you liquidate early before age 50 1/2 or prior to the account being opened for five years, whichever is later, there may be a 10% IRS penalty. Special exceptions to the 10% penalty may include, but are not limited to, first-time home buying ($10,00 maximin), permanent disability or paying medical insurance premiums after a job loss.

Figuring out where you stand

To begin, you may want to calculate how much you want to convert and figure out the tax to analyze whether the conversion may potentially benefit you. A financial professional can help you work through the numbers.

Sources:

Roth IRA contribution and income limits for 2023 and 2024 | Fidelity 2023-2024 Tax Brackets and Federal Income Tax Rates - NerdWallet

What Is Medicare IRMAA for 2024? | Northwestern Mutual

IRMAA 2024: What are the IRMAA Brackets (and How to Avoid It!) (youstaywealthy.com)

Roth IRA Withdrawal Rules for 2024 (usatoday.com)

Important Disclosures

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual security. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial professional prior to investing.

The Roth IRA offers tax deferral on any earnings in the account. Withdrawals from the account may be tax free, as long as they are considered qualified. Limitations and restrictions may apply. Withdrawals prior to age 59 ½ or prior to the account being opened for 5 years, whichever is later, may result in a 10% IRS penalty tax. Future tax laws can change at any time and may impact the benefits of Roth IRAs. Their tax treatment may change.

Traditional IRA account owners should consider the tax ramifications, age and income restrictions in regards to executing a conversion from a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The converted amount is generally subject to income taxation.

Roth IRA account owners should consider the potential tax ramifications, age and contribution deductibility limits in regard to executing a recharacterization of a Roth IRA to a Traditional IRA.

Contributions to a traditional IRA may be tax deductible in the contribution year, with current income tax due at withdrawal. Withdrawals prior to age 59 ½ may result in a 10% IRS penalty tax in addition to current income tax.

This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor.

All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, LPL Financial makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy.

This article was prepared by LPL Financial Marketing Solutions.

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