High-income earners can't contribute directly to a Roth IRA. But thanks to a tax loophole, they can still make contributions indirectly. If you take advantage and maximize your retirement savings, you can save tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars on taxes over the years. Here's how you set up a backdoor Roth IRA.
Key Takeaways
- High-income earners who can’t contribute directly to a Roth IRA may be able to contribute indirectly via a backdoor Roth and maximize their retirement savings.
- Roth IRAs are attractive because they don’t have required minimum distributions (RMDs), and the distributions are tax-free.
- The lack of RMDs in Roth IRAs also simplifies the record-keeping and tax preparation processes.
- A backdoor Roth can be created by first contributing to a traditional IRA and then immediately converting it to a Roth IRA (to avoid paying taxes on any earnings or having earnings that put you over the contribution limit).
- A backdoor Roth IRA may not be the best idea for those expecting to need the money they’re contributing to the backdoor Roth in the next five years.
Why Bother With a Backdoor Roth IRA?
Both Roth and traditional IRAs let your money grow within the account tax-free; however, Roth IRAs have a couple of advantages over traditional IRAs.
First, they don’t have required minimum distributions (RMDs). You can leave your money in your Roth for as long as you want, which means it can keep growing indefinitely. This characteristic may be valuable to you if you expect to have enough retirement income from another source, such as a 401(k), and you want to use your Roth as a bequest or an inheritance.
The lack of RMDs also simplifies record-keeping and makes tax preparation easier. It will save you time and headaches in retirement when you’d rather be enjoying your free time.
Second, Roth distributions—which include earnings on your contributions—are not taxable. Future tax rates may be higher than current tax rates, so some people would rather pay taxes on their retirement account contributions, as one does with a Roth, than on their distributions, as one does with a traditional IRA or 401(k). Other people want to hedge their bets by making both pre-tax and post-tax contributions, so they have a position in both options.
How To Create a Backdoor Roth IRA
There are income requirements for Roth IRA contributions. In 2024, single taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of $146,000 have lower Roth IRA contribution limits as their income increases. If they make $161,000 or more, they can’t contribute at all.
Married taxpayers are further disadvantaged because their limits aren’t double the single ones. In 2024, the phase-out range is $146,000 to $161,000 for single filers and $230,000 to $240,000 for married couples filing jointly.
A traditional IRA, on the other hand, doesn’t limit or prevent people with higher incomes from contributing. The backdoor Roth takes advantage of this fact.
Step 1: Contribute to a Traditional IRA
For 2024, you can contribute the lesser of your earned income or $7,000. A working spouse can also contribute for a non-working (or low-earning) spouse, so long as both spouses’ combined contributions don’t exceed their combined incomes.
Individuals who are 50 or older get to make an extra $1,000 in catch-up contributions each year, meaning that a married couple could each put $8,000 in a traditional IRA for 2024, for a total of $16,000, as long as each spouse is at least 50.
If your income is too high to contribute to a Roth, then your income is also too high to deduct your traditional IRA contributions from your tax bill if you or your spouse contribute to a retirement plan at work. If that’s your situation, you will already be putting after-tax dollars into your traditional IRA.
Step 2: Immediately Convert Your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA
Why do you want to take this step immediately? Because if you leave the money in your traditional IRA, you could have earnings; if you have earnings, you have to pay taxes on those earnings when you do your conversion.
If you accumulate enough earnings and then convert your entire account balance, you’ll have an excess contribution you must correct by paying taxes. Any untaxed amounts in the traditional IRA will result in taxation after the conversion. Keep life simple: Don’t procrastinate on your conversion.
Step 3: Repeat the Process, If You Wish
Each year in which you can’t fully contribute to a Roth IRA by the regular, front-door way, take advantage of the backdoor Roth.
73
The age at which you must start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from a traditional IRA.
Follow the Rules
You’ll want to ensure you abide by the IRS-specified rules for your Roth IRA. Here are four tips to help you make sure you do.
- If you already have a traditional IRA to which you made tax-deductible contributions, make sure to follow the pro-rata rule. The easiest way to avoid dealing with this rule is to have a zero balance in all traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs.
- Don’t remove the converted funds from your Roth IRA for at least five years if you are younger than 59½. If you remove them sooner, you will have to pay a 10% penalty unless you qualify for one of the limited exceptions.
- Don’t let your backdoor contribution fall back into your own hands between contributing it to a traditional IRA and moving it to a Roth IRA. You could end up with an unexpected tax bill. Instead, do a trustee-to-trustee transfer (if your traditional and Roth IRAs are not at the same financial institution) or a same-trustee transfer (if both IRAs are at the same institution).
- Fill out IRS Form 8606, Nondeductible IRAs, when you file your tax return.
When To Avoid a Backdoor Roth IRA
A backdoor Roth IRA isn't a good choice for everyone. If you don't know the basics, it's bound to backfire. Here are some of the circ*mstances under which it might not be a good idea to set up a backdoor Roth yourself:
- You expect to need the money you contribute to the backdoor Roth in the next five years. You'll have to pay a 10% penalty if you withdraw it.
- You aren't confident you can manage the process correctly and avoid costly tax errors. (If that's the case, ask a financial planner or tax advisor for help.)
- You think the pro-rata rule applies to your situation, but you don't understand how to do the math to calculate your tax liability. (Again, this is just a DIY problem. Ask a professional for help.)
- You've rolled a 401(k) balance from an old employer into an IRA this year. In that case, if you also do a backdoor Roth, you'll end up owing taxes.
What Is a Backdoor Roth IRA?
A backdoor Roth IRAisn't an official retirement account; it is a tax strategy the IRS allows. It allows you to fund a Roth IRA even when your income exceeds the maximum set by the IRS.
How Does a Backdoor Roth IRA Work?
Taxpayers first make contributions to a traditional IRA account. That account is then immediately converted to a Roth IRA. This allows the individual to avoid paying any taxes on earnings. You can repeat the process yearly if your income doesn't allow you to contribute to a regular Roth IRA.
Is a Backdoor Roth IRA Worth It?
Yes. Roth IRAs don't have required minimum distributions, which means you can leave your money in the account and let it grow. And the money you do withdraw isn't taxable, which means you pay on the contributions—not the distributions themselves. If you leave the money in a traditional IRA, any earnings are subject to taxes. Just make sure you know the rules so you don't end up paying more than you save.
How Much Can You Backdoor Into a Roth IRA?
You can contribute the lesser of your earnedincomeor $7,000 in a traditional IRA in 2024, which you can then convert to a backdoor Roth IRA. If you're 50 or older, you can also make an additional catch-up contribution of $1,000 each year.
The Bottom Line
Contributing to a Roth IRA through the back door is more complicated than contributing the straightforward way, but it’s your only option if your income exceeds IRS limits. It’s worth the extra steps for many people because a Roth has extra tax benefits that a traditional IRA does not. For help executing your backdoor Roth IRA contribution correctly, consult a financial planner or tax advisor.
