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What’s a Backdoor Roth IRA?

A Backdoor Roth IRA is a strategy that allows high-income earners to contribute to a Roth IRA, even if their income exceeds the IRS limits for direct contributions. This technique involves converting a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA, circumventing the income restrictions that typically apply to Roth IRA contributions.

Why Use a Backdoor Roth IRA?

The IRS sets income limits on who can contribute directly to a Roth IRA. For 2024, individuals with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) over $153,000 (single filers) or $228,000 (married filing jointly) are ineligible for direct Roth contributions. The Backdoor Roth IRA provides a workaround for these limits.

Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars, but the account grows tax-free, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are also tax-free. This can be advantageous compared to traditional IRAs, where withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income.

Unlike traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs do not require account holders to take RMDs at age 72, allowing for more flexibility in retirement planning.

How to Execute a Backdoor Roth IRA

Start by opening a traditional IRA if you don’t already have one. There are no income limits for contributions to a traditional IRA, although contributions may not be tax-deductible if your income is above certain thresholds.

Contribute to the traditional IRA. Since your income likely disqualifies you from deducting the contribution, this will be a non-deductible contribution.

Convert the traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. This can be done immediately after the contribution to avoid any significant gains in the traditional IRA, which would be subject to tax upon conversion.

If there are any gains in the traditional IRA before the conversion, you will owe taxes on those gains when you convert to the Roth IRA. The initial non-deductible contribution itself is not taxed again.

Considerations and Potential Pitfalls

The IRS requires that all traditional IRAs be considered when calculating the tax on a conversion, not just the account being converted. This means if you have other traditional IRAs with pre-tax contributions, a portion of the conversion will be taxable based on the pro-rata rule.

To avoid triggering the “step transaction doctrine” (where the IRS might view the series of steps as one transaction aimed solely at tax avoidance), some advisors suggest waiting a period between making the traditional IRA contribution and converting to a Roth IRA. However, immediate conversion is commonly practiced and typically accepted.

Tax laws can change, and what is permissible today might not be allowed in the future. It’s important to stay updated on tax regulations and consider consulting with a tax professional.

Consulting with a financial advisor or tax professional can help ensure that this strategy aligns with your overall financial plan.

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