Tax Guides

22 guides on Roth conversions · show all guides

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• Roth conversionsOct 8, 202613 min

  Can You Do a Self-Directed IRA Roth Conversion? Yes — but Size It Before You Convert It All

  Yes — a self-directed IRA Roth conversion is allowed, and the self-directed part changes nothing about the tax. Whatever you convert is added to that year's income. What matters is...

• Roth conversionsJun 23, 20266 min

  SEPP vs Roth Conversion Ladder: The Exact Math for $60K/Year at Age 52 (2026)

  You got the severance package at 52. You have $1,020,000 in a traditional 401(k), and you need about $60,000 a year to cover expenses. Every dollar you pull from that...

• Roth conversionsJun 23, 20265 min

  You Graduated With Money Left in Your 529 Plan — Here Is How a 529 to Roth Rollover Works in 2026

  You graduated two years ago. Your parents opened a 529 plan back in 2008, and after tuition cleared out, there is still about $19,000 sitting in your name. Now you...

• Roth conversionsJun 17, 20266 min

  Building a Roth Conversion Ladder When You Already Have a Roth IRA (and What Happens to Your Growth)

  If you already have a Roth IRA with years of contributions and growth in it, the natural worry about starting a conversion ladder is that you’ll somehow contaminate the account...

• Roth conversionsJun 15, 20263 min

  Can You Reverse a Roth Conversion? How to Fix a Backdoor Roth Mistake

  A client emailed our office last week in a panic after executing a Backdoor Roth IRA on their own. They had contributed $6,500 to a non-deductible IRA and immediately converted...

• Roth conversionsJun 15, 20263 min

  Roth Conversion Before Moving States: Why the "Early Bird" Trap Costs Thousands

  Every tax season, I review the returns of high-earning professionals who are fiercely dedicated to optimizing every dollar, and the ones moving states almost always get the timing of a...

• Roth conversionsJun 15, 20264 min

  Why Your SEP IRA is Ruining Your Backdoor Roth (And Why You Need a Solo 401(k))

  You are an established solo business, and for years you've done exactly what you were supposed to do. You set up a SEP IRA because it was easy, and you...

• Roth conversionsJun 14, 20268 min

  How Much Should I Convert to Roth Each Year Before RMDs Hit? A Gap-Years Game Plan

  You are 66. You stopped working last year, you have not turned on Social Security yet, and you are not old enough for required minimum distributions. For the first time...

• Roth conversionsJun 14, 20264 min

  Reverse Rollover Trap: Trapping $250k in a Bad 401(k)

  Every tax season, high-earning clients sit across my desk and say the same thing: "My financial advisor told me I need to do a Backdoor Roth."When I point out they...

• Roth conversionsJun 14, 20267 min

  When Is a Roth Conversion NOT Worth It? Seven Times to Skip It

  Almost everything written about Roth conversions is a sales pitch — convert, convert, convert. The truth is more boring: a conversion is just prepaying a tax bill, and prepaying only...

• Roth conversionsJun 14, 20264 min

  Can You Contribute to a Roth IRA if You Are Married Filing Separately?

  You are married, you both work, and you decided on married filing separately for your taxes this year. Usually, I see this happen for one of two reasons: you want...

• Roth conversionsJun 14, 20266 min

  RSU Roth Income Limit: Are You Locked Out After Vesting?

  You checked your paycheck, and the numbers finally look the way you've always wanted them to. Your company just released a massive block of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and your...