Relocation by Numbers

Roth Conversion Calculator

See the tax you'd owe now, compare the after-tax value of converting to Roth against keeping your traditional account, and find the break-even future tax rate.

Federal and state taxes built in, all figures in today's dollars.

See methodologyPlanning estimates only. Results depend on your inputs, tax status, and assumptions.
The conversion
Pay the conversion tax from
Your taxes this year
Later
Under these assumptions
Keeping it traditional comes out ahead

by $22,420 in after-tax value after 20 years (today's dollars). Break-even retirement tax rate: 32.5%, convert if you expect to be above it, keep traditional if below.

After-tax value at withdrawal
Tax due now on the conversion$32,464
Effective rate on the conversion32.5%
Convert to Roth, after-tax value$144,699
Keep traditional, after-tax value$167,119
If your retirement tax rate is different
Convert minus keep traditional, after tax, in today's dollars. Positive means converting is ahead. Rates are combined federal and state.
Retirement tax rateConverting is ahead by
10%-$48,130
12%-$43,845
15%-$37,418
22% (yours)-$22,420
24%-$18,135
32%-$994
37%+$9,719
A Roth conversion can't be undone, and the converted amount is taxed as ordinary income this year, a large conversion can push you into higher brackets, raise Medicare (IRMAA) premiums, or affect ACA subsidies. The 5-year rule applies to converted amounts before 59½. This assumes the converted balance is fully pre-tax (no after-tax basis / pro-rata blending) and uses a single assumed retirement tax rate. Comparison only, not tax or investment advice.
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How this calculator works

It stacks the amount you'd convert on top of your other income for the year and runs it through the same verified federal + state tax engine as the rest of this site, so the conversion tax reflects the actual brackets it falls into, not a single flat rate.

Then it grows both paths forward in today's dollars and compares the after-tax value at withdrawal: the Roth (tax-free) against the traditional account (taxed at your expected retirement rate). The break-even rate tells you the retirement tax rate at which the two paths tie.

Real conversion tax

Computed across federal and state brackets, not a flat rate.

Both paths compared

After-tax value of converting vs. keeping traditional.

Break-even rate

The future tax rate where the two paths tie.

Tax-payment choice

Pay from the conversion or from outside savings.

Good to know before you use it

A conversion is permanent, it can't be undone once done.

A large conversion can push you into higher brackets, raise Medicare (IRMAA) premiums, or reduce ACA subsidies in the conversion year. Some people spread conversions over several years to manage this.

This assumes the converted balance is fully pre-tax. If you have after-tax basis in your IRAs, the pro-rata rule blends it in and the taxable portion differs.

This calculator is a comparison, not tax or investment advice.

✓No account or sign-up required
✓Uses your actual brackets, not a flat rate
✓Results in today's dollars

Frequently asked questions

What is a Roth conversion?+
Moving money from a traditional (pre-tax) 401(k)/IRA into a Roth. You pay ordinary income tax on the amount now, and it then grows and comes out tax-free.
When does converting make sense?+
Generally when you expect a higher tax rate in retirement than the rate you'd pay converting today, and you can pay the tax from outside savings. Expect a lower rate later? Keeping it traditional often wins. The calculator shows your break-even rate.
Is there an income limit?+
No. Conversions have no income limit (unlike direct Roth contributions). The conversion is taxed as ordinary income and can't be undone.
Pay the tax from the conversion or outside savings?+
Outside savings usually wins, the full amount stays invested tax-free. Paying from the converted funds shrinks the Roth and can trigger a 10% penalty if you're under 59½.

Keep planning your retirement

Explore the accumulation, drawdown, and tax-advantaged sides of your plan.

Sources and limits

Tax figures come from IRS and state government publications (2026 rules, checked October 13, 2026). Written and maintained by Relocation By Numbers. Sources and limits reviewed October 13, 2026. Found a mistake? Tell us in the feedback box below. Full methodology

Sources

Not included

  • The converted balance is treated as fully pre-tax (no after-tax basis or pro-rata blending) and uses one assumed retirement tax rate.
  • Taxes stack the conversion on top of the other income you enter, with the standard deduction; Social Security, Medicare surcharges and benefit phase-outs are not modeled.
  • Returns are an assumption, not a forecast.

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