Is converting your IRA to a Roth actually worth it?

How to use this Roth conversion calculator

Enter your Traditional IRA balance, how much you want to convert, your current and expected retirement tax brackets, and your time horizon. The calculator shows whether paying tax now on a Roth conversion will leave you better off at retirement than deferring taxes in a Traditional IRA.

Tip: It almost always makes sense to pay the conversion tax from outside funds rather than from the IRA itself. Paying from the IRA reduces the amount that gets to grow tax-free.

Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA: the core difference

Traditional IRAs often contain deductible pre-tax contributions and earnings, but they can also contain nondeductible after-tax contributions and rollover assets. You generally pay ordinary income tax on the taxable portion you withdraw in retirement. A Roth conversion may therefore be fully or partially taxable. The IRS pro-rata rule generally considers your aggregate year-end balance and basis across Traditional, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs rather than allowing one IRA to be viewed in isolation. Required Minimum Distributions from Traditional IRAs generally begin at age 73 for people born from 1951 through 1959 and at age 75 for people born in 1960 or later.

A Roth IRA is funded with after-tax dollars. Qualified withdrawals are generally federal-income-tax-free, and original owners generally have no lifetime RMDs. Growth may be tax-free, and qualified Roth withdrawals are generally federal-income-tax-free — this is not the same as saying every withdrawal is automatically tax-free.

A Roth conversion moves money from Traditional to Roth, triggering tax now in exchange for tax-free status going forward.

When does a Roth conversion make the most sense?

• Your current bracket is lower than your expected retirement bracket. If you expect to pay more tax later, paying now is the better deal.
• You had an unusually low-income year — job change, sabbatical, early retirement before Social Security begins.
• You want to reduce future RMDs. Large Traditional IRA balances create forced taxable withdrawals starting at age 73 or 75 depending on your birth year. Converting reduces that burden.
• You want to leave money to heirs. Inherited Roth IRA withdrawals are generally income-tax-free when the applicable five-year requirement has been satisfied, but most non-spouse beneficiaries are still subject to inherited-account distribution deadlines, often including the 10-year rule. Traditional IRAs pass with embedded tax liabilities.

The 2026 federal tax brackets

The 2026 tax brackets apply to income from January 1, 2026. The conversion amount is added to your ordinary income in the year you convert.

Brackets are taxable-income ranges for tax year 2026 (IRS inflation-adjusted figures). Last updated July 17, 2026. Verify against IRS guidance before filing.

Keep planning

Use the compound interest calculator to model your Roth's tax-free growth, and the long-term capital gains calculator to estimate tax on assets held outside retirement accounts. This tool is an educational estimate based on your inputs — not tax or investment advice. Keep these caveats in mind: a conversion adds taxable income in the conversion year; it can affect ACA subsidies, Medicare IRMAA surcharges, and other income-based credits and deductions; Roth conversions generally cannot be reversed; and separate five-year rules can apply to converted amounts and to earnings. Consult a qualified tax professional before converting.

Sources: IRS Required Minimum Distributions FAQs; IRS Traditional and Roth IRAs; and IRS Publications 590-A / 590-B (contributions, distributions, and the pro-rata rule).