Wondering if you should convert your tax-deferred retirement savings to a Roth? Here’s what to consider

Having financial flexibility in retirement — especially in being able to maximize your spending while minimizing your taxes — is an optimal situation.

Having financial flexibility in retirement — especially in being able to maximize your spending while minimizing your taxes — is an optimal situation. And it’s one you can arrange by keeping at least some of your retirement savings in a tax-free account. “You’re giving yourself more options in the future,” said Brian Kearns, an Illinois-based certified public accountant and certified financial planner. One way to do that is to convert at least some of your tax-deferred savings in your 401(k) or traditional IRA into a Roth account. Money rolled into Roth 401(k)s and Roth IRAs grow tax free and may be withdrawn tax-free so long as you leave it in the account for at least five years after the rollover. Unlike creating a Roth IRA and making new contributions to it every year, there is no income limit on who may convert their savings into a Roth (or who may contribute to a Roth 401(k) on an ongoing basis, either). Another advantage: In retirement, you get to decide how much and when you make withdrawals from your Roth savings, whereas with tax-deferred savings in traditional IRAs or 401(k)s, you must start taking required minimum distributions at age 73.