It's not difficult to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth if you understand the tax implications, which may pose challenges for people aged 60 and older. Older savers are more likely to own traditional IRAs, and younger people are likelier to own Roth IRAs. That's probably because traditional IRAs have been around longer, and older savers may be reluctant to execute a conversion or may not know about this option. Still, if you're over 60, there's much to like about Roth conversions.
You can contribute to a traditional IRA at any age if you have earned income. But can someone aged 70½ still roll over money from a traditional IRA to a Roth in retirement? Do you need to have earned income to make a successful conversion?
Let's delve into those questions and discover how to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA after 60.
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Who can convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA?
There's no age limit or income requirement to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. You must pay taxes on the amount converted, although part of the conversion will be tax-free if you have made nondeductible contributions to your traditional IRA.
Once the money is in the Roth, you can take tax-free withdrawals. (You may have to pay taxes on any earnings withdrawn within five years of the conversion, but only after you've withdrawn contributions and converted amounts.) See Roth IRA Basics: 10 Things You Must Know for more about tax implications on withdrawal.
Possible financial consequences of a conversion
Because converting to a Roth can have a ripple effect on other areas of your finances, be careful before making a big conversion in one year. For instance, the conversion will be included in your adjusted gross income, which could bump some of your income into a higher tax bracket and could also cause you to pay more for your Medicare premiums and higher taxes on your Social Security benefits.
Social Security
The Social Security Administration (SSA) determines who pays an income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) based on the income reported two years prior. So, the SSA looked at your 2022 tax returns to see if you must pay an IRMAA in 2024. Similarly, SSA will examine your 2023 tax returns to determine whether you must pay IRMAA in 2025.
The extra income from the conversion could also increase the portion of your Social Security benefits that is subject to income taxes. So, if you're already drawing Social Security, a Roth conversion could increase your income enough to have an impact. This is one reason why it’s beneficial to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth when you're younger, before you're drawing Social Security.
Medicare
If your adjusted gross income (plus tax-exempt interest income) is more than $103,000 if you're single or $206,000 if married filing jointly, you will have to pay the Medicare high-income surcharge for Parts B and D.
In 2024, people subject to the surcharge pay an additional $69.90 to $419.30 per person each month, depending on their income, for Medicare Part B premiums. They also pay a high-income surcharge of $12.90 to $81.00 above their Part D premiums. See Medicare Premiums 2024: IRMAA for Parts B and D for more information.
For 2025, Medicare beneficiaries with income over $106,000 (for single tax filers), $212,000 for joint filers and $106,000 (for married people that file separately) will pay the surcharge. For these beneficiaries, total monthly Part B premiums will range from $259 to $628.90. See What You Will Pay for Medicare in 2025.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) haven't yet released the 2025 IRMAA surcharge amounts for Part B. The basic premium for Part B is $185.00, an increase of $10.60 from 2024.
Keep an eye on RMDs (required minimum distributions) the year you convert your traditional IRA
Keep in mind that rolling money over from a traditional IRA to a Roth after 70½ won't reduce your RMD for the year of the conversion; the required withdrawal is based on your IRA balance as of the end of the previous year. But it can reduce your RMDs for future years.
Instead of making one big conversion, consider rolling over a portion of the money from a traditional IRA to a Roth every year, with a close eye on the top of your tax bracket and income limits for the Medicare high-income surcharge and Social Security taxes.
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