Before You Make a Roth Move in 2026, Answer These 5 Questions
By now, most savers understand what a Roth IRA is. The real challenge in 2026 isn’t whether Roth accounts are valuable — it’s figuring out which Roth move fits your income, tax picture, and retirement timeline.
Before you contribute, convert, or backdoor anything this year, it’s worth slowing down and answering a few key questions that can prevent costly mistakes later.
The 5 questions
1. What tax bracket am I really in?
Your marginal tax bracket matters more than your total income. Roth contributions and conversions mean paying tax now — so knowing which bracket you’re filling is step one.
2. Am I near or over the Roth income limits?
If you are, a direct Roth contribution may not even be allowed. That’s when a Backdoor Roth becomes the clean path — but only if done correctly.
3. Do I have pre-tax IRA money sitting around?
Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs can trigger the pro-rata rule and turn a Backdoor Roth into a tax problem if you don’t plan ahead.
4. How will this affect Medicare and future taxes?
Roth conversions increase today’s income, which can raise future Medicare premiums if you’re not careful. The timing and size of conversions matter.
5. What do I actually want my retirement income to look like?
Roth dollars give you flexibility — but how much tax-free income you need depends on how you plan to live, travel, and support family in retirement.
Bring it together
There is no universal “best” Roth strategy.
But there is a best strategy for you — once you see how all the pieces fit together.
That’s exactly why we created the 2026 Roth Decision Guide.
It gives you:
• A clear decision flow
• Checklists for each strategy
• A one-page planner
• And templates to document your moves, so you don’t have to guess.
