When I meet with families at Manna Wealth Management, this question comes up a lot:

“David, should I convert my IRA to a Roth?”

It’s a fair question, and the truth is—there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Sometimes it makes a lot of sense. Other times, it’s not the best move. Let’s talk it through together.

What’s the Difference Between a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA?

Here’s the simple version:

• With a Traditional IRA, you don’t pay taxes when you put money in. But later, when you take money out in retirement, you owe taxes on every dollar.
• With a Roth IRA, you pay taxes upfront. Once it’s in, the money grows tax-free, and when you pull it out in retirement, you owe nothing.

So the real question becomes: do you want to pay taxes now or later?

Why Would Anyone Pay Taxes Now?

At first, paying taxes now might sound like a bad idea. But think of it this way:

If you believe your taxes will be higher in the future—either because tax laws change or because your income will be higher—then it might be smarter to pay today’s lower rate.

Plus, money in a Roth grows tax-free. That means once you’ve paid your upfront taxes, you and even your kids can withdraw the money later without worrying about the IRS.

A Quick Example

Let’s say you have $200,000 in a Traditional IRA.

• If you convert it to a Roth this year and you’re in the 22% tax bracket, you’ll owe about $44,000 in taxes.
• Painful? Yes.
• But imagine that money grows to $400,000 by the time you retire. With a Roth, you can take all of it out tax-free.

And if your kids inherit it? They get it tax-free too. That’s the big advantage.

When a Roth Conversion Can Be Smart

1. You think taxes will go up.
   A lot of people feel tax rates will rise in the future. If you agree, paying now could save money later.
2. You want to leave your kids money without the tax mess.
   Roth accounts are much easier for heirs to handle.
3. You’ve got time.
   The younger you are (or the longer until you need the money), the more time your Roth has to grow tax-free.
4. You can pay the tax bill with outside money.
   If you’ve got cash on hand to pay the taxes, it usually makes more sense.

When It Might Not Be a Good Idea

1. You’re already in a high tax bracket.
2. You’ll need the money soon and don’t have time to benefit from tax-free growth.
3. You don’t have cash outside the IRA to cover the taxes.

A Real Client Story

I worked with Susan, a woman in her late 50s. She had around $600,000 in a Traditional IRA. She didn’t want a giant tax bill all at once.

So we set up a plan: each year she converted just enough to stay in her current tax bracket. Over time, she built up a nice Roth balance without taking a big tax hit in a single year.

By retirement, she had the best of both worlds—some money in her IRA and a healthy Roth account she could draw from tax-free.

The Bottom Line

So, should you convert your IRA to a Roth? Maybe. Maybe not.

It depends on your taxes, your goals, and your timeline. For some families, it’s a smart way to protect against higher taxes down the road and leave a cleaner inheritance for their kids. For others, it may not make sense right now.

This is exactly why I sit down with people, run the numbers, and map out different scenarios. No guesswork—just a plan that fits your life.

If you’d like to see whether a Roth conversion makes sense for you, reach out here. And if you’d like to learn more about me and how I help families prepare for retirement, here’s my story: David Kassir.

At Manna Wealth Management, I believe retirement should be about freedom and peace of mind—not tax surprises.