Roth Conversions Before Claiming Social Security
Watch on YouTube The years between retirement and claiming Social Security are often the lowest-tax window of a retiree’s life - but most people let it close without acting. This video explains the tax valley strategy: converting traditional IRA funds to Roth during ages 60-72, filling the 12% and 22% brackets before RMDs and Social Security stack income into the torpedo zone. Covers IRMAA timing traps (2-year lookback), conversion order across IRA and 401(k) accounts, the pro-rata rule for mixed IRAs, and the 5-year conversion clock. Watch the next video in the playlist for RMDs and Social Security. Subscribe for more retirement tax planning.
▶ Watch next: Social Security and RMDs: The Tax Double-Whammy at 73 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqc9f4WRT34
📺 Full playlist: Social Security (US - 2026) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlIAFxS296491LWfYsLp6anRyo6_DO_pI
Chapters
The years between retirement and claiming Social Security (age 62-70) are often a "tax valley" — low income, no RMDs, no SS benefits. This is prime Roth conversion territory. Converting at 22-24% beats being forced into 32% once RMDs plus SS stack up. But conversions that trigger IRMAA two years later can backfire.
Key Topics
- The tax valley window (typically ages 60-72)
- Converting to fill lower brackets
- IRMAA timing traps (2-year lookback)
- Conversion order: traditional IRA before 401(k)?
- Pro-rata rule for those with after-tax contributions
- State tax consideration on the conversion year
- The 5-year rule for Roth conversion withdrawals