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School me on contributing to Roth IRA when income exceeds the limit

Posted on 1/6/25 at 3:07 pm
Posted by BlueChips
Member since Aug 2016
96 posts
Posted on 1/6/25 at 3:07 pm
Do I have this process correct: I can contribute $7,000 to a traditional IRA. Wait 1 day. Then move (convert) that $7,000 to a Roth IRA. From there I can do whatever I want with the $7,000 that I moved from the traditional to Roth.

Is that accurate?
Posted by lynxcat
Member since Jan 2008
24714 posts
Posted on 1/6/25 at 3:12 pm to
Yes. And then track it in your tax filings as a nondeductible contribution.
Posted by molsusports
Member since Jul 2004
36664 posts
Posted on 1/6/25 at 3:14 pm to
general benefits

how to do conversion

Beware of pro rata issue. Otherwise should be straightforward
Posted by Rize
Spring Texas
Member since Sep 2011
17330 posts
Posted on 1/6/25 at 4:22 pm to
quote:

Yes. And then track it in your tax filings as a nondeductible contribution.


What does that do? I’m clueless about that stuff.
Posted by Sir Saint
1 post
Member since Jun 2010
5427 posts
Posted on 1/6/25 at 4:37 pm to
Need to file form 8606 with your tax return. Lookup how to fill it out for backdoor Roth

@OP, look up pro rata rule. Basically if you have a significant amount of money already in Trad IRA or SEP IRA you need to reconsider the backdoor (and/or in some cases, convert the IRA to Roth and eat the tax bill)
Posted by Rize
Spring Texas
Member since Sep 2011
17330 posts
Posted on 1/6/25 at 4:53 pm to
quote:

Need to file form 8606 with your tax return. Lookup how to fill it out for backdoor Roth @OP, look up pro rata rule. Basically if you have a significant amount of money already in Trad IRA or SEP IRA you need to reconsider the backdoor (and/or in some cases, convert the IRA to Roth and eat the tax bill)


Gotcha. That’s why I can’t do a backdoor Roth for my wife because she has an IRA with a good amount in it so the taxes would kill me. Would be nice to do 7k for each of us but not worth it.
This post was edited on 1/6/25 at 4:55 pm
Posted by BlueChips
Member since Aug 2016
96 posts
Posted on 1/6/25 at 8:20 pm to
I have no traditional IRA currently. My plan was to open one on Fidelity to send the $7k to and then move that $7k over to my Roth IRA on fidelity
Posted by molsusports
Member since Jul 2004
36664 posts
Posted on 1/6/25 at 9:03 pm to
To avoid the pro rata extra tax penalty some people will convert their traditional IRA into their current 401k. Then when you convert the 2025 traditional contribution into Roth you should be okay
Posted by Mr. Curious
Chocolate City
Member since Aug 2004
706 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 8:57 am to
I’m having an issue with Fidelity currently. I made my $8000 deposit into my IRA on Jan 2nd. I went to convert to my Roth on Jan 6th and got an error message. Called Fidelity and they said there is a hold on Electronic deposits until January 25th due to multiple fraud issues with electronic deposits at end of December. Anyone else having this issue with Fidelity???
Posted by thunderbird1100
GSU Eagles fan
Member since Oct 2007
70782 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 10:12 am to
quote:

To avoid the pro rata extra tax penalty some people will convert their traditional IRA into their current 401k. Then when you convert the 2025 traditional contribution into Roth you should be okay



We had to do this at the end of last year with an old rollover IRA that was pre-tax to do our first conversion due to income limits (which we knew were happening earlier this past year). Just rolled a vanguard rollover IRA into my wife's current 401k provider, and then did the 2 traditional to roth conversions with our traditional IRAs after that so we didnt get pro-rata'd and hit with a huge tax bill.
This post was edited on 1/7/25 at 10:13 am
Posted by hottub
Member since Dec 2012
3596 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 11:11 am to
quote:

That’s why I can’t do a backdoor Roth for my wife because she has an IRA with a good amount in it so the taxes would kill me. Would be nice to do 7k for each of us but not worth it.


I think you can start a separate Rollover IRA to use just for back doors.
Posted by hottub
Member since Dec 2012
3596 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 11:13 am to
quote:

Called Fidelity and they said there is a hold on Electronic deposits until January 25th due to multiple fraud issues with electronic deposits at end of December. Anyone else having this issue with Fidelity



Yes. I had this issue in 2024. I was pulling the funds from my NFCU bank account so there was a hold on the funds. They told me the same thing. I’m not sure if you use funds from an existing Fidelity account if the hold would apply.
Posted by GoIrish02
Member since Mar 2012
1483 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 12:34 pm to
quote:

I think you can start a separate Rollover IRA to use just for back doors.


No, the pro rata rule considers ALL of your IRA accounts, your statement is incorrect. Don't do what you recommend above if you have existing qualified IRAs, you have to move those funds into another qualified account before you do the backdoor conversion.

Read up on the rule before giving incorrect advice.
Posted by MaxDraft
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2019
569 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 12:51 pm to
quote:

I’m not sure if you use funds from an existing Fidelity account if the hold would apply.


It does not. I transferred $7k from my normal fidelity account to my traditional IRA yesterday. This morning, I converted that to my Roth without issue.
Posted by leeman101
Huntsville, AL
Member since Aug 2020
2035 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 6:57 pm to
I got a ROTH IRA question.

A financial advisor told me the contributions can only come from earned income (income from a job). I though it could be from Modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) income from various sources. I got to retire early and my income comes from divys and interests and sales of stocks (capital gains). Not 59 and half yet so I still want to contribute. What I see online is the contribution can come from AGI and MAGI. I think he has it wrong.
This post was edited on 1/8/25 at 2:03 pm
Posted by I Love Bama
Alabama
Member since Nov 2007
38300 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 7:03 pm to
quote:

A financial advisor told me the contributions can only come from earned income (income form a job)


He's right. Check it yourself with chatgpt.
Posted by HailToTheChiz
Back in Auburn
Member since Aug 2010
51956 posts
Posted on 1/7/25 at 10:00 pm to
If you already have a chunk, just keep going with the traditional IRA and a brokerage account
Posted by tgrmeat
Member since Sep 2020
5051 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 7:31 pm to
I am having the EXACT same experience this year. In years past it has taken a week or less.
Posted by lynxcat
Member since Jan 2008
24714 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 7:45 pm to
Three downvotes to my original post…did I say something inaccurate?
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