Episode 337: The Five Cardinal Rules of Roth Conversions

David McKnight goes through his five cardinal rules for doing a Roth conversion. The first principle is simple: don’t do a Roth conversion that bumps you into a tax bracket that gives you heartburn. Not sure about what a heartburn-inducing tax bracket looks like? David shares a simple “rule of thumb” you can follow. In your zeal to get your Roth conversion done before tax rates go up for good, don’t bump into the 32% tax bracket along the way. The second cardinal rule ties into the almost certainty that Congress will extend the Trump tax cuts through 2033 – make sure to stretch your tax liability out between now and then! There’s a strong likelihood that, once Trump’s second round of tax cuts expire, taxes will rise dramatically in 2034. The reason for that? The trajectory of the national debt and over $200 trillion in unfunded obligations for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The third principle is “Don’t lose your sleep over IRMAA (Income Related Monthly Adjusted Amount) durin...