7 Times to Dip Into Your Roth IRA if You Have a Pension (and When to Leave It Alone)
The established wisdom is never to touch your Roth IRA, but if it contains a large sum and you have a pension, too, here's when you should tap into it first.
A Roth account is a type of individual retirement account (IRA) that is funded with after-tax dollars. This means that the money you contribute to a Roth account has already been taxed and you will not receive a tax deduction for your contributions. However, the money you contribute to a Roth account grows tax-free and you can withdraw your contributions and any earnings on them tax-free in retirement.
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The established wisdom is never to touch your Roth IRA, but if it contains a large sum and you have a pension, too, here's when you should tap into it first.
When you're standing at a major financial crossroads, the timing of your decisions can mean the difference between success and failure. Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitball on the "when...
John Q. Taxpayer is in the home stretch of his career, looking for the best way to catch-up and build his tax-free bucket. Meanwhile, a pair of young financial nerds in Omaha are already strong savers...
Should Al and Peggy in Illinois keep hammering pre-tax retirement savings or should they pivot to post-tax Roth for better tax diversification? Which pension option is best for their early retirement ...
"Mr and Mrs Smith" have nearly $850,000 saved at age 43, but they're very concerned about retirement. "Lucy and Desi" are 58 and 64 with nearly $7 million saved, but they still lie awake wondering if ...
Lucky Lou is 48, burned out and wants to punch at 50. How should he bridge the gap before pensions and Social Security? Joe Anderson, CFP®, and Big Al Clopine, CPA walk through the Rule of 55, 72(t)s,...
Financially speaking, should Old Bear in Northern Kentucky marry his Honey? How should Sebastian in Virginia navigate the financial aspects of his separation? Plus, Famous Missourians want to know, ho...
Today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast 560, Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitball business development company (BDC) funds for Edward in Illinois before diving into buckets of cash, T...
Today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast 559 with Joe Anderson, CFP®, and Big Al Clopine, CPA, David wants to know if he and his wife (ages 47 and 53) are actually on track for retirement - without r...
McDreamy Dempsey wants to know if converting to Roth in the 37% tax bracket ever makes sense, and Gary in La Crosse warns Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA about Roth conversion "lag" and whe...
Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA are defusing some confusing tax time bombs today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 557. George in Torrance wants to know the smartest way to deal wi...
Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitball Roth conversions, capital gains, and retirement readiness from every angle, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 556. Joe Momma from Vir...
I am 73 years old and have to withdraw the required RMD from my mutual fund IRA which is a fairly substantial amount. Can I hire a Certified Financial Planner to handle my RMD (i.e., Roth IRA, etc.) a...
Most people assume retirement taxes are based on how much they withdraw. The real problem is what the IRS eventually forces them to withdraw. In this episode, James walks through what taxes can actual...
I am 73 years old and have to withdraw the required RMD from my mutual fund IRA which is a fairly substantial amount. Can I hire a Certified Financial Planner to handle my RMD (i.e., Roth IRA, etc.) a...
I've know that RMDs can create a bigger tax burden when they start. We have a traditional IRA. I (67) am already taking SS, my husband (69) will be taking it a year from now, and since we'd consider i...
In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, Joy Taylor answers questions on Roth IRAs and the five-year rule, including contributions and conversions.
A law requires the rollover money to have been in the 529 for at least 15 years. But it isn’t clear what happens if you change the account’s beneficiary.
Lower tax brackets and a bonus senior deduction may make 2026 a good year for a Roth conversion.
Sometimes a Roth conversion isn't right for you — or at least not right now. A financial adviser explains what you should consider before getting involved.
Switching from saving to withdrawing has been harder than we expected. We finally hit our number and retired, but now I’m unsure what kind of monthly or yearly reviews I should be doing. We’re already...
Most physicians spend their peak earning years maxing out pre-tax retirement accounts, reducing taxable income, and deferring the tax bill ... Read more
In spite of two divorces, two bankruptcies, and one short sale, I have been able to somehow amass about $500,000. I am going to retire at the end of this year at 66. I already started taking SS, and h...
June in Washington State is 62 with $2.5 million saved and a $350,000 pension on the table. Should she take the lump sum or the monthly check for life? Spoiler alert: there's a 3-to-1 vote in the stud...
A big single-stock win can feel like freedom one day and a tightrope the next. This plan walks through how a family holding ~$15M in NVIDIA shares can turn concentrated success into stable, low-stress...
A mega backdoor Roth IRA allows high-income earners to potentially move tens of thousands of dollars into a tax-free retirement account. This is how it works.
I 60F wish to retire sometime this year. I have the financial ability but have some complex moving parts. Under consideration is using some Roth money to keep my MAGI low enough to get an ACA premium ...
(No, not the go-go, slo-go, no-go adage) I just got my letter from Social Security saying, it’s time, bud, apply to claim your benefits. I’ll be 70 in a few months. For the last 2.5 years, my wife and...
Today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 580, Joe Anderson, CFP®, and Big Al Clopine, CPA, are spitballing for some folks who've done the work, hit the numbers, but aren’t sure if they can rea...
Roth conversions have become a hot financial buzzword in recent years, but they're frequently misunderstood. Here's why they aren't the best move for everyone.
I left my job in 2025 but contributed to my Roth IRA because I was still working in that year. This year, I started working as a W-2 contractor for my former company through a contracting company. I t...
Time is a young investor’s greatest asset. Discover how small contributions today can evolve into a tax-free fortune by the time they retire.
Saving into Roth instead of traditional accounts to bring down required minimum distributions in retirement, and whether retiring early is in the cards: that's today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcas...
Hello. I (59F) have been trying to plan to retire early-ish for years. I would like to very much soon. I have tried to make my plans generally as fitting the circumstance at the time only to have the ...
Higher-income earners must make 401(k) catch-up contributions with after-tax dollars and place them in a Roth account.
An interview with FPL's Amanda Harrell, where we talk through how to handle a 401(k) rollover without blowing up your Backdoor Roth IRA, whether direct indexing is really worth it, and what to think a...
Starting in 2026, the Federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) began allowing in-plan Roth conversions. Here's what you should know. The post Yes, You Can Now Do Roth Conversions in Your Thrift Savings Plan ...
Don't let a Roth conversion backfire. Learn the 3 questions every investor needs to ask about tax brackets, liquidity and asset allocation before making the move.
If I understand this correctly, with the upcoming tax deduction in the Big Beautiful (Ugly grrr) Bill, we have a few years where your adjusted gross income may drop you down to a lower tax bracket, or...
In this episode, Roger Whitney breaks down essential elements you need to consider before and during retirement. From understanding inflation risks to strategic asset reallocation, this episode offers...
Answering listener questions about how they can make smarter use of Roth accounts and tax-efficient retirement strategies and how they can think about reducing future RMDs. The post Roth Conversions f...
I just turned 65 so I will not have to start taking RMDs until I'm 75. Since IRMAA is based on income from 2 years prior, that means I won't get hit with IRMAA until I'm 77 (2 years after my RMDs star...
In this episode of the Retirement Answer Man, Roger Whitney explores the critical decision of when to claim Social Security benefits, weighing the pros and cons of taking them early versus delaying. T...
Are Roth conversions worth it? We'll find out, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 576. TJ in PA is gonna have huge capital gains. Joe and Big Al spitball on whether it's worth it for him...
Instead of treating your Roth IRA as "the best account" for everything, consider keeping these seven assets in accounts with better tax benefits or flexibility.
Learn how CalSavers applies to California workers and employers, including automatic Roth IRA enrollment, payroll deductions, and benefits. The post How CalSavers Works: What California Workers and Em...
First of all, I was very happy to find this subReddit last year, it has been a very helpful and comforting place as I planned (and re-planned) my own retirement. My last day will be end of June, I tol...
From municipal bonds to Roth conversions — take our quiz to find out if you know which income streams push you into higher Medicare brackets.
If your adviser isn't crunching all the numbers and showing you a complete picture (in writing), then you might need to find one who will.
A stock market pullback makes a Roth conversion less expensive, turning a declining portfolio into tax advantage. The post Roth Conversions in a Down Market: The Tax Window Many Miss appeared first on...