According to the September/October edition of Private Wealth Magazine there has never been a better time to make a Roth IRA conversion.
“”Roth IRA conversions never looked so good as they do now,” says Jones. Not only will 2012 conversions be taxed at rates no higher than 35%, today’s slow economy may lead to a legitimately low valuation of illiquid IRA assets – and a relatively low tax bill. “IRAs must be valued each year, “says Slott. “If a client is reporting a low value because of the week economy, less tax will be due on a Roth IRA conversion. ”
Paying the tax from non- IRA investment assets can trim a client’s taxable holdings, reduce future taxable investment income, and therefore reduce exposure to schedule tax hikes as well as to the coming 3.8% Medicare surtax. after five years and after age 59 1/2,all Roth IRA withdrawals will be tax-free. in essence, a Roth IRA conversion this year can move mega – IRA money from surtax straits into tax-free territory.”
Taken from : (Korn, Donald. Private Wealth Magazine, Sept./Oct. 2012. p. 54)
(The quotes in this selection are from Ed Slott, “America’s IRA Expert” and Michael J. Jones of Thomson Jones LLP, a tax consulting firm in Monterey,California)