Backdoor Roth IRA Guide

The Backdoor Roth works in two steps: (1) contribute $7,500 (2026 limit; $8,500 if age 50+) to a Traditional IRA without taking a tax deduction, and (2) convert the entire balance to a Roth IRA. If you have zero pre-tax IRA balances, the conversion is tax-free because you already paid tax on the contribution (it was non-deductible). If you have ANY pre-tax Traditional/SEP/SIMPLE IRA balances, the pro-rata rule under Section 408(d)(2) applies — the tax-free portion of your conversion equals your non-deductible basis divided by your total IRA balance (all Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs aggregated), making most of the conversion taxable. The fix: roll all pre-tax IRA money into your employer 401(k) before the conversion, leaving only the non-deductible contribution in the IRA. The Mega Backdoor Roth allows after-tax 401(k) contributions up to the Section 415(c) limit of $72,000 (minus employee deferrals and employer match), converted to Roth in-plan or via rollout. Form 8606 tracks basis for every Backdoor Roth — failure to file it means the IRS treats all IRA balances as pre-tax.

Key facts

2026 IRA contribution limit: $7,500 ($8,500 if age 50+). No income limit on non-deductible Traditional IRA contributions. Roth IRA direct contribution phase-out: $155,000-$170,000 (single), $236,000-$246,000 (MFJ). The Backdoor Roth bypasses these limits via non-deductible contribution plus conversion. (2026-01)
2026 Section 415(c) limit for Mega Backdoor Roth: $72,000 total annual 401(k) additions ($79,500 with catch-up for age 50+; $83,250 for ages 60-63 with SECURE 2.0 enhanced catch-up). This ceiling includes employee deferrals, employer match/profit-sharing, and after-tax contributions. The Mega Backdoor Roth uses remaining space after deferrals and employer contributions. (2026-01)
SECURE 2.0 mandatory Roth catch-up (effective 2026): Employees with prior-year FICA wages exceeding $145,000 must make all catch-up contributions to a Roth 401(k)/403(b) account. No pre-tax catch-up option for high earners. Applies to catch-up contributions only — regular elective deferrals can still be pre-tax or Roth at the employee's election. (2026-01)

TaxKiln Editorial · Last reviewed: May 27, 2026

The Backdoor Roth IRA is the single most important tax planning strategy for high-income earners who are phased out of direct Roth IRA contributions. The strategy is simple in concept — contribute to a non-deductible Traditional IRA, then immediately convert to a Roth IRA — but the execution is riddled with traps. The pro-rata rule under IRC Section 408(d)(2) taxes the conversion proportionally based on ALL Traditional IRA balances, not just the non-deductible contribution. A $7,500 backdoor contribution with $92,500 of pre-tax IRA money sitting in a rollover IRA means only 7.5% of the conversion is tax-free — the remaining 92.5% is taxable income. The Mega Backdoor Roth is the larger cousin: after-tax contributions to a 401(k) plan above the employee elective deferral limit, converted in-plan to a Roth 401(k) or rolled to a Roth IRA. The annual ceiling under IRC Section 415(c) is $72,000 for 2026 (including all employer and employee contributions), and SECURE 2.0 Section 603 mandates that catch-up contributions for high earners go to Roth starting in 2026. This guide covers both strategies with exact 2026 numbers, the Form 8606 mechanics, and the specific steps to clean up existing IRA balances before executing.

Key mechanics

The Backdoor Roth: non-deductible contribution plus immediate conversion

The Backdoor Roth IRA is not a specific provision in the tax code — it is a two-step transaction that exploits the interaction between non-deductible Traditional IRA contributions and Roth conversions. Step 1: you contribute to a Traditional IRA without claiming a tax deduction. There is no income limit for making a non-deductible Traditional IRA contribution — the income limits only restrict the deductibility of the contribution (IRC Section 219(g)). Anyone with earned income can contribute $7,500 for 2026 ($8,500 if age 50 or older) to a Traditional IRA, regardless of income. Step 2: you convert the Traditional IRA balance to a Roth IRA under IRC Section 408A(d)(3). There is no income limit on Roth conversions — the income limit applies only to direct Roth IRA contributions (Section 408A(c)(3)), not to conversions. The combination is legal and has been confirmed by IRS guidance, though Congress has periodically proposed legislation to eliminate it.

When executed cleanly — meaning you have zero pre-tax Traditional IRA balances — the conversion is almost entirely tax-free. The $7,500 contribution was made with after-tax dollars (non-deductible), so the basis is $7,500. When converted to Roth, the taxable portion is only any investment earnings that accrued between the contribution and the conversion. If you convert within days (ideally holding the contribution in a money market or settlement fund), the earnings are negligible — often under $1. The entire amount lands in the Roth IRA, where it grows tax-free and qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.

The strategy should be executed annually. Each year, you contribute $7,500 (or $8,500 with catch-up) to the Traditional IRA, convert promptly to Roth, and report the conversion on Form 8606. Over a 20-year career, this builds a substantial Roth IRA balance — $150,000 in contributions alone, plus decades of tax-free growth. The timing is important: contribute early in the year to maximize time in the Roth, and convert promptly to minimize the taxable earnings in the Traditional IRA. Some practitioners contribute and convert in the same day; others wait a few business days to allow the contribution to settle. There is no legal requirement for a waiting period, despite a persistent myth that you must wait some period between contribution and conversion.

No income limit on non-deductible Traditional IRA contributions or Roth conversions. Contribute after-tax, convert to Roth, pay tax only on earnings between contribution and conversion. (IRC §219(g); IRC §408A(d)(3); IRC §408A(c)(3))

The pro-rata rule: why existing IRA balances torpedo the strategy

The pro-rata rule under IRC Section 408(d)(2) is the single most common reason Backdoor Roth conversions go wrong. The rule states that when you convert (or withdraw) any amount from a Traditional IRA, the taxable portion is determined by the ratio of your pre-tax balance to your total IRA balance — aggregated across ALL of your Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs. You cannot selectively convert "just the non-deductible money." The IRS treats all your IRAs as one combined pool.

The formula: Taxable portion of conversion = (Total pre-tax IRA balance / Total IRA balance on December 31) x Conversion amount. The denominator includes the balance on December 31 of the year of conversion — not the balance on the date of conversion. This means even if you roll pre-tax money into a 401(k) in November and convert in December, what matters is the December 31 balance.

Example: You have a $92,500 rollover IRA (all pre-tax) and make a $7,500 non-deductible contribution. Total IRA balance: $100,000. Non-deductible basis: $7,500. When you convert $7,500 to Roth, the tax-free portion is $7,500 / $100,000 x $7,500 = $562.50. The taxable portion is $6,937.50. You owe ordinary income tax on $6,937.50 — turning what was supposed to be a tax-free move into a largely taxable event. At a 35% federal rate, that is $2,428 in tax on a $7,500 conversion, making the strategy marginally beneficial at best.

The aggregation rule covers all Traditional IRAs (including contributory, rollover, and conduit IRAs), SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs. It does NOT include Roth IRAs, inherited IRAs (treated as separate accounts), or employer 401(k)/403(b) plans. This distinction is the key to the cleanup strategy: if you roll your pre-tax IRA money into an employer 401(k) plan before December 31 of the conversion year, the December 31 IRA balance drops to zero (or just the non-deductible contribution), and the pro-rata calculation works in your favor.

The 401(k) rollover cleanup requires that your employer plan accepts incoming rollovers — most large 401(k) plans do, but verify with your plan administrator before executing. Roll the entire pre-tax balance (not just part of it) into the 401(k). The rollover must be completed before December 31. Once the pre-tax balance is out of the IRA system, the remaining non-deductible balance converts to Roth tax-free. This is the correct execution sequence: (1) roll all pre-tax IRA money into 401(k), (2) confirm December 31 IRA balance is $0, (3) contribute $7,500 non-deductible to Traditional IRA, (4) convert immediately to Roth.

All Traditional/SEP/SIMPLE IRA balances are aggregated for the pro-rata calculation. The December 31 balance determines the taxable fraction. Roll pre-tax money into a 401(k) to clear the path. (IRC §408(d)(2); IRC §408(d)(3)(A)(ii); IRS Form 8606 Instructions)

Form 8606: the required tracking document most people skip

Form 8606 (Nondeductible IRAs) is the reporting form for both non-deductible Traditional IRA contributions and Roth conversions. It must be filed with your tax return in every year you make a non-deductible contribution (Part I) and in every year you take a distribution or conversion from a Traditional IRA when you have non-deductible basis (Part II). Failure to file Form 8606 means the IRS has no record of your non-deductible basis — and without that record, the IRS treats your entire IRA balance as pre-tax, making the full conversion taxable.

Part I of Form 8606 tracks your cumulative non-deductible basis. Line 1 is the current year's non-deductible contribution ($7,500 for 2026). Line 2 is the total basis from prior years (from last year's Form 8606 Line 14). Line 3 is the sum. Lines 6-11 calculate the pro-rata allocation. Line 6 is the total value of ALL Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs on December 31 of the current year, PLUS any distributions or conversions taken during the year. This is the denominator. Line 12 is the non-deductible percentage (Line 3 / Line 6). Line 13 is the non-taxable (basis) portion of any conversion or distribution. Line 14 is the remaining basis carried forward to next year.

Part II reports the Roth conversion itself. Line 16 is the total amount converted to Roth during the year. Line 17 is the taxable amount (Line 16 minus the non-taxable portion from Part I). This taxable amount flows to Form 1040 as ordinary income.

The most dangerous error is failing to file Form 8606 in prior years when you made non-deductible contributions. If you contributed $7,500 non-deductible for 5 years ($37,500 total basis) but never filed Form 8606, and then convert $37,500 to Roth, the IRS treats the entire $37,500 as taxable because there is no documented basis. You can file late Form 8606s for prior years to establish the basis — there is no penalty for late filing of Form 8606 standing alone (the penalty under Section 6693 applies only if you overstate the non-deductible amount). File late 8606s before or simultaneously with the conversion-year return to protect your basis.

For married couples filing jointly, each spouse files a separate Form 8606 — IRA basis is tracked individually, not jointly. If only one spouse has pre-tax IRA balances, the pro-rata rule applies only to that spouse's IRAs. The other spouse can execute a clean Backdoor Roth independently.

Form 8606 tracks non-deductible IRA basis. File it every year you make a non-deductible contribution or convert. Without it, the IRS treats your full IRA as pre-tax. (IRC §408(o)(4); IRC §6693; IRS Form 8606 Instructions)

Mega Backdoor Roth: after-tax 401(k) contributions and SECURE 2.0 changes

The Mega Backdoor Roth is the high-capacity version of the Backdoor Roth, available to employees whose 401(k) plans permit after-tax contributions and either in-plan Roth conversions or in-service distributions. The annual limit under IRC Section 415(c) is the lesser of 100% of compensation or $72,000 for 2026 ($79,500 with catch-up for age 50+). This total includes ALL contributions: employee elective deferrals, employer matching contributions, and after-tax contributions. The Mega Backdoor Roth uses the remaining space.

Example: An employee contributes $24,500 in elective deferrals (2026 limit) and receives $10,000 in employer match. Total: $34,500. The remaining Section 415(c) space is $72,000 - $34,500 = $37,500. The employee can contribute up to $37,500 in after-tax 401(k) contributions. These after-tax contributions are made with post-tax dollars (similar to non-deductible IRA contributions) — the contribution itself is not taxed again, but the earnings on those contributions grow tax-deferred and are taxable upon distribution.

The conversion step is what makes this a "Roth" strategy: the after-tax contributions are converted to Roth either in-plan (to the plan's Roth 401(k) account) or via in-service distribution (rolled out to a Roth IRA). The conversion is tax-free on the contribution amount — you already paid tax on it. Only the earnings since contribution are taxable at conversion. If you convert frequently (some plans allow daily or per-payroll conversions), the earnings are minimal and the conversion is nearly 100% tax-free.

SECURE 2.0 Section 603 made a significant change effective 2026: employees earning more than $145,000 in FICA wages (indexed) must make all catch-up contributions to a Roth account — they can no longer make pre-tax catch-up contributions. For 2026, the catch-up contribution limit is $7,500 (or $11,250 for ages 60-63 under the new SECURE 2.0 enhanced catch-up). This means high earners making catch-up contributions are forced into Roth treatment, which is favorable for those with a long time horizon (decades of tax-free growth) but creates a current-year tax cost (no deduction on the catch-up contribution).

Not all 401(k) plans offer the Mega Backdoor Roth. The plan must: (1) allow after-tax contributions (distinct from Roth elective deferrals), (2) allow either in-plan Roth rollovers or in-service distributions. Large tech companies (Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple) and many Fortune 500 plans offer this feature. Smaller employers often do not. Check your Summary Plan Description or call your plan administrator. If your plan does not offer it, the standard Backdoor Roth IRA ($7,500/year) is your only option.

After-tax 401(k) contributions up to the $72,000 Section 415(c) limit, converted to Roth in-plan or rolled to Roth IRA. SECURE 2.0 §603 mandates Roth catch-up for earners above $145,000. (IRC §415(c); IRC §402A; SECURE 2.0 Act §603; IRC §414(v))

Action steps

1
Check your IRA balances and clean up pre-tax money
Before executing a Backdoor Roth, check the balances of ALL your Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs. If any contain pre-tax money (rollover IRAs from old 401(k)s are the most common culprit), the pro-rata rule will make your conversion partially taxable. Contact your current employer's 401(k) plan administrator and confirm they accept incoming rollovers. If they do, roll all pre-tax IRA money into the 401(k) before December 31 of the year you plan to convert. Confirm the rollover is complete and the December 31 IRA balance is $0 (or only the non-deductible contribution). If you are self-employed with a SEP IRA, you can open a solo 401(k) and roll the SEP into it.
2
Contribute the non-deductible amount to a Traditional IRA
Contribute $7,500 ($8,500 if age 50+) to a Traditional IRA. Do NOT elect to deduct the contribution on your tax return — mark it as non-deductible. If your brokerage allows you to designate the contribution type at the time of contribution, select 'non-deductible.' Contribute early in the year (January is ideal) to maximize time invested in the Roth after conversion. Hold the contribution in a settlement fund or money market to minimize earnings between contribution and conversion.
3
Convert to Roth IRA promptly
Contact your brokerage or use their online conversion tool to convert the entire Traditional IRA balance to a Roth IRA. Convert the full balance — do not leave a partial amount behind. There is no legally required waiting period between contribution and conversion, though some practitioners wait a few business days for the contribution to settle. Convert the full amount even if there are small earnings ($1-$5 of interest); the tax on those earnings is negligible. If converting at a different brokerage than the Traditional IRA, request a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to the Roth IRA.
4
File Form 8606 with your tax return
Report the non-deductible contribution on Form 8606 Part I and the Roth conversion on Part II. Line 1: current year non-deductible contribution ($7,500). Line 6: total IRA balances on December 31 plus distributions/conversions during the year. If the cleanup was done correctly, Line 6 should be approximately $7,500 (just the contributed amount, plus any minimal earnings). Line 14: remaining basis carried forward (should be $0 if you converted the full balance). Line 16: conversion amount. Line 17: taxable amount (should be near $0). Keep a copy of Form 8606 permanently — it documents your basis.
5
Check your 401(k) plan for Mega Backdoor Roth eligibility
Review your 401(k) Summary Plan Description or contact your plan administrator to determine if your plan allows: (1) after-tax contributions (not the same as Roth elective deferrals), and (2) in-plan Roth rollovers or in-service distributions. If both are available, calculate your remaining Section 415(c) space: $72,000 minus your elective deferrals ($24,500) minus employer match and profit-sharing contributions. Contribute after-tax dollars up to that remaining space and convert to Roth as frequently as the plan allows — ideally each payroll period to minimize taxable earnings.
6
Review SECURE 2.0 catch-up rules if age 50+ and earning above $145,000
Starting in 2026, employees with prior-year FICA wages above $145,000 must make catch-up contributions to a designated Roth account. If you are age 50-59 or 64+, the catch-up limit is $7,500. If you are age 60-63, the enhanced catch-up is $11,250. These contributions are Roth — no pre-tax option is available for high earners. Adjust your 401(k) elections to designate catch-up contributions as Roth. This is separate from the Mega Backdoor strategy — catch-up contributions count against the elective deferral side, not the after-tax side.

Worked example

Priya Patel, a San Jose, CA-based Senior software engineer with high income exceeding Roth limits, in 2026:

Priya earns $250,000 in W-2 wages at a large tech company. She is 38 years old, files single, and is phased out of direct Roth IRA contributions (2026 phase-out: $155,000-$170,000 MAGI for single filers). She has a $45,000 rollover IRA from a previous employer and her current 401(k) plan allows after-tax contributions with in-plan Roth conversions. She wants to maximize Roth contributions through both the Backdoor Roth IRA and the Mega Backdoor Roth.

Financial calculation for worked example:

STEP 1 — PRO-RATA PROBLEM (BEFORE CLEANUP):
  Priya has $45,000 in a rollover IRA (all pre-tax)
  She contributes $7,500 non-deductible to Traditional IRA
  Total IRA balance on Dec 31: $45,000 + $7,500 = $52,500
  Non-deductible basis: $7,500
  Pro-rata tax-free percentage: $7,500 / $52,500 = 14.3%

  If she converts $7,500 to Roth:
  Tax-free portion: 14.3% × $7,500 = $1,072.50
  Taxable portion: $7,500 − $1,072.50 = $6,427.50
  At 35% federal + 9.3% CA = 44.3% marginal rate:
  Tax cost: $6,427.50 × 44.3% = $2,847.39
  → The "Backdoor" is almost entirely taxable. This is WRONG.

  STEP 2 — CLEANUP (ROLL PRE-TAX IRA INTO 401(k)):
  Priya rolls the $45,000 rollover IRA into her employer 401(k)
  Rollover completed before Dec 31
  Dec 31 IRA balance: $0

  She then contributes $7,500 non-deductible to Traditional IRA
  New Dec 31 IRA balance: $7,500 (+ ~$2 in interest)
  Non-deductible basis: $7,500
  Pro-rata tax-free percentage: $7,500 / $7,502 = 99.97%

  Convert $7,502 to Roth:
  Tax-free portion: $7,500 (basis)
  Taxable portion: $2 (earnings)
  Tax cost: $2 × 44.3% = $0.89
  → Effectively a tax-free $7,500 Roth contribution

  BACKDOOR ROTH IRA RESULT:
  Annual Roth contribution via Backdoor: $7,500
  Tax cost: ~$0
  Form 8606 filed: Part I (non-deductible basis), Part II (conversion)

  MEGA BACKDOOR ROTH (401(k) after-tax contributions):
  Section 415(c) limit (2026): $72,000
  Priya's elective deferrals: $24,500 (2026 401(k) limit, under 50)
  Employer match (50% of first 6%): 50% × 6% × $250,000 = $7,500
  Total pre-tax + match: $24,500 + $7,500 = $32,000
  Remaining Section 415(c) space: $72,000 − $32,000 = $40,000

  Priya contributes $40,000 in after-tax 401(k) contributions
  Converts to Roth in-plan each payroll period (biweekly)
  Earnings between contribution and conversion: ~$50 total
  Tax on conversion: $50 × 44.3% = $22.15
  → $40,000 lands in Roth 401(k) nearly tax-free

  TOTAL ANNUAL ROTH CONTRIBUTIONS:
  Backdoor Roth IRA: $7,500
  Mega Backdoor Roth (401(k)): $40,000
  Total: $47,500 per year into Roth accounts

  PROJECTED 20-YEAR GROWTH (8% annual return):
  $47,500/year × 20 years at 8% = ~$2,334,000
  All growth is tax-free in retirement
  No Required Minimum Distributions (Roth IRA)
  Roth 401(k) has RMDs, but can be rolled to Roth IRA to eliminate them

  TAX SAVINGS COMPARISON:
  If the $47,500 were in a taxable account earning 8%:
  Annual tax drag on dividends/gains: ~1.5-2% effective rate
  After-tax growth rate: ~6-6.5%
  20-year taxable value: ~$1,900,000
  Plus tax on withdrawal: $0 (already taxed annually)
  Roth advantage: ~$434,000 in additional after-tax wealth over 20 years

  CALIFORNIA NOTE:
  California does NOT conform to Roth IRA conversion treatment for
  state purposes — conversions are taxable in CA as ordinary income
  to the extent they exceed basis, same as federal. However, California
  does conform to Roth IRA qualified distribution treatment — qualified
  Roth withdrawals in retirement are tax-free for CA purposes.
  If Priya retires to a no-income-tax state, the CA benefit is moot —
  the federal benefit alone justifies the strategy.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I miss the April 15 tax deadline?+

If you owe tax, the IRS charges two separate penalties: failure to file (5% of unpaid tax per month, max 25% under IRC §6651(a)(1)) and failure to pay (0.5% per month, max 25%). File Form 4868 for an automatic 6-month extension — but the extension only extends the FILING deadline, not the PAYMENT deadline. Interest accrues from April 15 regardless. If you have a clean 3-year history, you may qualify for First Time Abatement (FTA) to waive the failure-to-file penalty.

Do I need a CPA or can I file my own taxes?+

Most self-employed people with straightforward Schedule C income can file using tax software (TurboTax, FreeTaxUSA, TaxAct). Consider a CPA or Enrolled Agent (EA) if you have: an S-Corp election, multi-state filing, rental property with cost segregation, your first year of self-employment (to set up correctly), or an IRS notice. EAs are federally licensed and often less expensive than CPAs. The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free help for incomes under $67,000.

How do quarterly estimated tax payments work?+

Self-employed people must pay estimated tax quarterly (April 15, June 15, September 15, January 15) if they expect to owe $1,000 or more. The safe harbor under IRC §6654 is paying at least 100% of prior-year tax (110% if AGI exceeded $150,000). Use Form 1040-ES or pay via IRS Direct Pay or EFTPS. Missing payments triggers an underpayment penalty calculated per quarter — even if you pay everything at filing time.

Is the Backdoor Roth legal? I have heard Congress might eliminate it.+

The Backdoor Roth is legal as of 2026. It relies on two established provisions: (1) non-deductible Traditional IRA contributions (no income limit), and (2) Roth conversions (no income limit since 2010). Build Back Better Act proposals in 2021-2022 would have prohibited Backdoor Roth conversions for high earners, but those provisions were never enacted. The strategy remains available, but could be restricted by future legislation. There is no grandfather clause mechanism — if Congress bans it, it would apply prospectively from the effective date. Execute the strategy each year it remains available.

I have a SEP IRA from self-employment. Can I still do a Backdoor Roth?+

Yes, but the SEP IRA balance is included in the pro-rata calculation. You have two options: (1) open a solo 401(k) (individual 401(k)) and roll the SEP IRA into it, then execute the Backdoor Roth with a clean IRA balance, or (2) accept the pro-rata tax cost. Option 1 is strongly preferred. A solo 401(k) is available to any self-employed individual with no full-time employees (other than a spouse). The rollover from SEP to solo 401(k) is a non-taxable trustee-to-trustee transfer. After the rollover, your Traditional IRA balance is zero and the Backdoor Roth converts cleanly.

Do I need to wait between the Traditional IRA contribution and the Roth conversion?+

There is no legally required waiting period. The IRS has not issued guidance establishing a mandatory delay between contribution and conversion, and the step transaction doctrine has not been applied to Backdoor Roth conversions. Some tax advisors recommend waiting a few days or until the next calendar month for additional caution, but this is a conservative preference, not a legal requirement. The most common approach is to contribute and convert within the same week. Keep the contribution in a money market or settlement fund during the interim to minimize taxable earnings.

My spouse has a rollover IRA but I do not. Can I do a Backdoor Roth even if my spouse cannot?+

Yes. The pro-rata rule applies per individual, not per couple. Each spouse's IRAs are aggregated separately for the pro-rata calculation. If you have zero pre-tax IRA balances and your spouse has $200,000 in a rollover IRA, your Backdoor Roth conversion is 100% tax-free and your spouse's would be mostly taxable. Your spouse should clean up their IRA (roll into 401(k)) independently. Both spouses file separate Form 8606s, and each tracks their own basis.

Last reviewed: May 27, 2026

Backdoor Roth IRA Guide

Key mechanics

The Backdoor Roth: non-deductible contribution plus immediate conversion

The pro-rata rule: why existing IRA balances torpedo the strategy

Form 8606: the required tracking document most people skip

Mega Backdoor Roth: after-tax 401(k) contributions and SECURE 2.0 changes

Action steps

Check your IRA balances and clean up pre-tax money

Contribute the non-deductible amount to a Traditional IRA

Convert to Roth IRA promptly

File Form 8606 with your tax return

Check your 401(k) plan for Mega Backdoor Roth eligibility

Review SECURE 2.0 catch-up rules if age 50+ and earning above $145,000

Frequently asked questions