Should I Use My Traditional IRA to Fund My Life or Do Roth Conversions?

💬 Show Notes In this Thanksgiving Eve episode, Roger Whitney encourages listeners to carry gratitude into everyday life, emphasizing the value of recognizing specific moments and taking “mental snapshots” of what matters. He also addresses common retirement questions, including how to think about traditional versus Roth IRAs and whether to use IRA withdrawals or pursue Roth conversions. It’s a clear, practical discussion to help you reflect and make informed planning decisions. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN (00:00) This show is dedicated to helping you rock retirement (00:40) Roger reflects on thankfulness and gratitude. RETIREMENT TOOLKIT (08:33) Roger gives a quick refresher on the three main types of accounts used in retirement planning and how each is treated for tax purposes. LISTENER QUESTIONS (14:16) Roger walks through how to approach the common dilemma of using a traditional IRA for living expenses versus doing Roth conversions. (26:49) Dominic asks why qualified charitable distributions can’t be used to fund a donor-advised fund, even though the donation is tax-deductible. (30:31) BB and Shell ask whether contributing to a Roth versus traditional 403(b) and 457 plans makes sense given their high current tax rate and plans to retire and move to a lower- or no-tax state. SMART SPRINT (34:35) This week’s Smart Sprint challenges listeners to make thankfulness meaningful by telling someone specifically why they are grateful for them. CLOSING THOUGHTS (35:18) Roger shares his gratitude for listeners and feedback, acknowledges the complexity of retirement planning, and emphasizes his commitment to providing actionable advice while reminding everyone it’s okay not to have all the answers. REFERENCES Submit a Question for Roger Sign up for The Noodle The Retirement Answer Man