Model your optimal conversion strategy, estimate lifetime tax savings, and see how shifting from tax-deferred to tax-free growth could impact your retirement picture.
A Roth conversion moves money from a tax-deferred account (Traditional IRA, 401(k)) to a Roth IRA. You pay income tax on the converted amount now — but future growth and withdrawals are completely tax-free.
The key question: will your tax rate be higher or lower in retirement? If higher, converting today likely saves you money. This calculator helps you quantify that decision.
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Hypothetical illustration · -year window to age
The math is simple: if your tax rate is higher later, paying taxes now wins. Here's how the strategy unfolds.
Once converted, your Roth IRA grows completely tax-free. No taxes on dividends, capital gains, or qualified withdrawals in retirement — ever.
Traditional IRAs require Required Minimum Distributions starting at age 73, forcing taxable income whether you need it or not. Roth IRAs have no RMDs.
Tax brackets are scheduled to revert higher in 2026. Converting while current rates are lower can lock in today's favorable tax environment.
The most common questions we hear from clients considering a Roth conversion strategy.
No. A Roth conversion makes the most sense when your current marginal tax rate is lower than your expected rate in retirement. Key factors include: the gap between current and future rates, your time horizon (longer = more benefit), whether you can pay the conversion tax from non-IRA funds, and whether you're in a "low-income window" between retirement and RMD age.
A qualified financial planner can model your specific situation including state taxes, Medicare IRMAA impacts, and estate planning goals.
Rather than converting your entire IRA at once (which could push you into a much higher bracket), a conversion ladder spreads conversions over multiple years. Each year, you convert just enough to "fill up" your current tax bracket — paying taxes at the lowest possible rate on each dollar converted.
For example, if you retire at 65 and RMDs don't begin until 73, you have an 8-year window with potentially lower income — an ideal time to convert systematically. This is exactly the type of multi-year strategy our advisors model for clients.
Potentially yes. A large Roth conversion increases your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) in the year of conversion. This can temporarily trigger Medicare IRMAA surcharges — income-related premium adjustments that can add hundreds per month to your Part B and Part D premiums. It can also cause more of your Social Security benefit to be taxable.
These factors are why careful, year-by-year modeling is essential — and why this calculator is a starting point, not a final answer. We recommend working with both a financial planner and a CPA before executing any large conversion.
The calculator is a starting point. A personalized analysis accounts for your full picture — income, state taxes, Medicare, estate goals, and more.