Will My Roth IRA Conversion Be Penalty-Free?

Converting a portion of an IRA to a Roth IRA is a complex process that involves many moving parts. Unintended consequences can result if the strategy is not properly analyzed or handled, including a possible impact on Medicare premiums two years after the conversion.

To help make the analysis easier, we have created the “Will My Roth IRA Conversion Be Penalty Free?” flowchart. It addresses common issues that clients encounter when doing a Roth conversion, including:

• Implications for IRAs with after-tax contributions
• Pro-rata and aggregation rules
• Simple IRA rules
• Medicare Part B and Part D surcharge impact
• Application of the 5-Year Rule
• RMD coordination issues