Early Retirement: Utilizing the Roth IRA Conversion Ladder

by | Aug 9, 2023 | Backdoor Roth IRA | 18 comments




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Accessing money from your investment account is going to be important to pay for your expenses during early retirement. But if you withdraw from your largest accounts like a 401k, 403b, or IRA before retirement age then you’ll pay an early withdrawal penalty.

The good news is that there’s a Roth IRA hack called the Roth Conversion Ladder. With this investment strategy, you’re able to access money from those 3 retirement accounts before retirement age without incurring any penalties.

In this video, we’ll go through what a Roth Conversion Is, How it plays into a Roth Conversion Ladder, How you can benefit from it by potentially saving thousands of dollars, I’ll walk you through step by step what to do, then I’ll give you a real life example so you can see it in action.

To pay for an early retirement you’re most likely going to need to start withdrawing money from your largest investment accounts.

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Disclaimer: This video is for entertainment purposes only. Everyone’s situation is different so do your own research before making any decisions with your money. If you need help then contact a Certified Financial Fiduciary before trying anything that is mentioned in this video. I prefer a Fiduciary financial advisor that charges an hourly fee as opposed to an ongoing fee based on a % of your portfolio. Always remember that incentives determine the type of advice they give you so one that charges an hourly fee is less likely to be problematic.

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The Roth IRA Conversion Ladder: A Strategy for Early Retirement

Many individuals dream of retiring early and enjoying their golden years without being tied down to a 9-to-5 job. However, early retirement requires careful planning, especially when it comes to managing your finances. One strategy that can help you achieve your early retirement goals is known as the Roth IRA Conversion Ladder.

What is a Roth IRA Conversion Ladder?

A Roth IRA Conversion Ladder is a method that allows you to access your retirement savings before the age of 59 ½ without the usual early withdrawal penalties associated with traditional retirement accounts. By converting your traditional IRA (or other pre-tax retirement accounts) into a Roth IRA and then gradually withdrawing the converted funds, you can have a steady income stream during your early retirement years.

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How does it work?

Here’s how the Roth IRA Conversion Ladder works in practice:

Step 1: Establish a ladder by converting Traditional IRA funds
Begin by converting a portion of your traditional IRA funds into a Roth IRA. This conversion triggers a taxable event, as you’ll have to pay income taxes on the converted amount. However, this will allow the converted amount to grow tax-free and be withdrawn without penalties after five years.

Step 2: Wait for five years to pass
To avoid paying any penalties, you must wait for at least five years after the conversion before withdrawing any converted funds.

Step 3: Start withdrawing converted funds from Roth IRA
Once the five-year waiting period is over, you can start withdrawing the converted funds from your Roth IRA, up to the amount you originally converted. These withdrawals are tax-free, as you have already paid the income taxes on the amount when you initially converted it from your traditional IRA.

Step 4: Repeat the process
For ongoing early retirement income, repeat the conversion process every year by converting a portion of your traditional IRA funds into a Roth IRA. By doing this annually, you will create a ladder of converted funds that you can withdraw tax-free after five years.

Why is it beneficial?

One of the primary benefits of the Roth IRA Conversion Ladder is that it allows you to access your retirement savings before the age of 59 ½ without incurring the 10% early withdrawal penalty that typically applies to traditional retirement accounts. Additionally, unlike traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs have no required minimum distributions (RMDs) throughout your lifetime, so you can control how much you withdraw each year, potentially minimizing your tax liability.

Moreover, by converting your traditional IRA funds into a Roth IRA, you are effectively converting your taxable income into tax-free income. This can be advantageous if you expect your tax rate to be higher in the future when you withdraw funds, as Roth IRAs provide tax-free growth and withdrawals, assuming you follow the rules.

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Things to consider

While the Roth IRA Conversion Ladder offers many benefits, there are a few things to consider when planning for early retirement:

1. Tax implications: Converting a significant amount of traditional IRA funds into a Roth IRA could result in a substantial tax bill. It is crucial to carefully analyze your tax situation and determine the optimum amount to convert each year to minimize taxes.

2. Income limitations: Keep in mind that there are income limitations for contributing to a Roth IRA. If your income exceeds these limits, you may not be eligible to contribute directly to a Roth IRA. However, you can still convert funds from your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, regardless of your income level.

3. Financial stability: Before embarking on early retirement, ensure you have enough funds to cover your living expenses, healthcare costs, emergencies, and a buffer for unexpected expenses. In other words, have a robust financial plan in place to ensure your early retirement is financially sustainable.

Conclusion

The Roth IRA Conversion Ladder is a powerful strategy for those aspiring to retire early. By converting a portion of your traditional IRA funds into a Roth IRA and withdrawing the converted funds after the five-year waiting period, you can access your retirement savings penalty-free. Nonetheless, it is essential to consult with a financial advisor and carefully analyze your unique financial situation before implementing this strategy to ensure it aligns with your retirement goals.

Remember, early retirement is a significant life decision that requires comprehensive planning, including the consideration of other income sources, investment strategies, healthcare coverage, and long-term financial goals.

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18 Comments

  1. Ryan Ferguson

    so if the starting point is Traditional 401k it’ll work.

    What if the starting point is Roth 401k? Would it work to transfer into Roth IRA and then withdraw after 5 year waiting?

  2. Rowddyone

    If you convert Roth 401k to rollover Roth IrA at 67. Do you still have to wait 5 years to withdraw tax free thank you

  3. Bryan Pride

    I believe there’s a five year waiting period for a Roth conversion whether it’s the principal amount converted or the earnings on that amount

  4. Ro Cal

    Your jokes like "I lost my crystal ball the other day" are so corny and cringey.

  5. Johny JSL

    If I already have a Roth account, no reason to wait 5 years right ?

  6. Kaizen

    Hello,

    I would really appreciate if you would be willing to answer my question. I am trying to understand why a traditional IRA is needed for the conversion process? I have googled online, watched other videos, and many folks keep saying you can convert from 401k to Roth IRA, but no mention of traditional IRA OR if the traditional IRA is mentioned no explanation of why one must convert to it before converting to a Roth IRA.

    Would really appreciate if anyone can link me to sources explaining this !

  7. Amarjeet Manhas

    Can this strategy be used to convert Traditional IRA to Roth IRA? Traditional IRA was funded by converting 401k from the previous employer(s) many years ago.

  8. Matt

    Man learning about the roth conversion ladder is now making me second guess prioritizing a roth 401k. I'm in a 24% tax bracket right now. If I understand correctly, I'm loosing some potential investing money to taxes that I could be differing instead, and then one day use the roth conversion ladder to only pay 10% (if taxes don't increase in 15 years… and I could lower my tax bracket). So essentially missing out on some savings that I could be investing.

    Problem is, it's so hard to know what life is going to be like 15 years from now. Do you feel there is an argument to just contribute to the roth 401k and avoid the hassle and uncertainty? Regardless, using this withdrawl strategy is a good rule to follow for pre-tax retirement money. I have both.

  9. Carmeisha Huckleby

    This was one of the best videos I've seen for the ROTH conversion ladder! Thank you!

  10. Ellen Cola

    Are you unable to do a Roth Conversion if it is a Roth 401K?

  11. Sveta Sveta2017

    Love this! Thanks a bunch! ☺️

  12. I am Jane

    Great video!

  13. Don Johnson

    Why not convert all of your 401k money in year 1?

  14. Kevin Hawthorne

    Thank You for all of your videos that you did. I am enjoying all of them.

  15. Inea - FI Journey

    Yes! this is the strategy we plan to use!

  16. kat

    Love this! As always, thx Jarrad!

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