The bottom line is that such issues are so complex that analysts advise account holders to talk to a tax advisor and financial advisor to find out whether the Roth IRA is right for them. On top of that, there is some guesswork involved of how long they will live. People have to think about this. It's not a simple mechanical process. It's a thoughtful analysis that's needed.
Similar programs are available from just about any financial institution.
Such a report takes an account holder's specific information and develops a series of scenarios that analyze whether or not a Roth IRA and a conversion to a Roth IRA would be worthwhile. The Internet also offers a bevy of free information on the Roth IRA as well as conversion programs that should help individuals get started. The site is informative, with plenty of basic facts, but the conversion information is simplistic and confusing and shouldn't really take the place of a tax and financial advisor, especially for those with large IRAs and complex financial situations. The tanking IRA With huge stock market appreciations, unease about Asia and shallow future corporate profits, many people are worried about what happens if their IRA value plummets after converting to a Roth. Originally, if an IRA was rolled into a Roth, the value and tax bill were frozen at the time of the rollover.