How to Undo a Roth IRA Contribution If Your Income Is Too High
You can still recharacterize a Roth contribution and move the money to a traditional IRA.
Question: I know I can't undo conversions from a traditional IRA to a Roth anymore. But what if I contribute to a Roth and then discover my income is too high? ��J.C., East Lansing, Mich.
Answer: Even though the new tax law prohibits people from undoing a conversion they made from a traditional IRA to a Roth after December 31, 2017 (called recharacterizing), you can still recharacterize a Roth contribution and move the money to a traditional IRA.
You can contribute to a Roth IRA if your modified adjusted gross income in 2018 is less than $135,000 if you're single or $199,000 if you file jointly. If you contribute to a Roth but your income is too high, you can ask your IRA administrator to move your Roth contribution (and any earnings on it, which your administrator will calculate) into a traditional IRA before the deadline to file your tax return for the year of your contribution.
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As the "Ask Kim" columnist for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Lankford receives hundreds of personal finance questions from readers every month. She is the author of Rescue Your Financial Life (McGraw-Hill, 2003), The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance -- and Still Get the Coverage You Need (Kaplan, 2006), Kiplinger's Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, 2007) and The Kiplinger/BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families. She is frequently featured as a financial expert on television and radio, including NBC's Today Show, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio.