Episode
To Do or Not To Do a Roth Conversion?
- Podcast
- Money & Taxes from Bb to XYZ
- Published
- Dec 11, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1183
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
It’s getting close to year-end, and Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, are here to explain what Roth IRA conversions are, why they can be a powerful long-term tax-planning tool, and when they make the most sense. They’ll walk through situations where converting traditional IRA funds to a Roth IRA can reduce lifetime taxes — especially when current tax rates are low or future required minimum distributions (RMDs) might push someone into higher brackets. They also outline the practical steps for completing a conversion, emphasize the importance of having cash available to pay the tax bill, and highlight red flags that may mean a conversion isn't appropriate. Takeaways A Roth conversion is essentially a bet that your tax rate today is lower than it will be in the future. Early conversions may help reduce future RMD-related taxes and create more tax-free growth over time. It’s a best practice to have cash available to pay the taxes on a conversion, ideally without withholding from the converted amount. Conversions work best when you don't need the money for at least five years and expect long-term benefits. Red flags include a lack of cash for paying the taxes on a conversion, no reason to expect higher future tax rates, or needing the funds soon. Have a tax question for the show? Email [email protected], and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday — always ad-free and no subscriptions required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco. Disclosures Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It ma…