Tax-Smart Retirement (Roth · RMDs · IRA Legacy)

Articles in this pillar

When does a Roth conversion make sense?

Reviewed September 28, 2026 · 7 min read

A Roth conversion moves pre-tax retirement savings into a Roth IRA: you pay ordinary income tax on the converted amount now, and qualified withdrawals later are tax-free. Converting tends to cost the least in your lowest-income years — often the stretch after your last paycheck and before Social Security and required minimum distributions begin.

What are the RMD rules, and what happens if I miss one?

Reviewed September 26, 2026 · 6 min read

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) generally start at age 73 for most retirees today (75 if you were born in 1960 or later), and the amount is fixed by IRS formula — your prior year-end account balance divided by an IRS life-expectancy factor. Miss one, and the shortfall can be taxed at 25%, dropping to 10% if you correct it within two years. The rules are strict, but the penalty is no longer the 50% it used to be, and the calculation itself leaves very little room for guesswork.