Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Converting to Roth from IRA with, in effect, no income

1 view
Skip to first unread message

Howard Kaikow

unread,
Dec 2, 2009, 5:08:48 AM12/2/09
to
Assume that one has NO income.

Would it then be possible to convert $XXXX from an IRA to a Roth if
$XXXX were no more than the sum of standard deductions, elderly
exemptions, etc.?

What would $XXXX be for 2009?
For 2010?

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ------------------------------------------------------- >>

Bill Brown

unread,
Dec 2, 2009, 7:08:47 AM12/2/09
to
On Dec 2, 5:08�am, Howard Kaikow <kai...@standards.com> wrote:
> Assume that one has NO income.
>
> Would it then be possible to convert $XXXX from an IRA to a Roth if
> $XXXX were no more than the sum of standard deductions, elderly
> exemptions, etc.?
>

Yes.

> What would $XXXX be for 2009?
> For 2010?

If "one" is a single individual over age 65, then $XXXX = $10,750 in
2009 and about the same (maybe exactly the same) in 2010.

Hank Youngerman

unread,
Dec 10, 2009, 4:15:01 PM12/10/09
to
On Dec 2, 7:08�am, Bill Brown <brow...@longwood.edu> wrote:
> On Dec 2, 5:08�am, Howard Kaikow <kai...@standards.com> wrote:
>
> > Assume that one has NO income.
>
> > Would it then be possible to convert $XXXX from an IRA to a Roth if
> > $XXXX were no more than the sum of standard deductions, elderly
> > exemptions, etc.?
>
> Yes.
>
> > What would $XXXX be for 2009?
> > For 2010?
>
> If "one" is a single individual over age 65, then $XXXX = $10,750 in
> 2009 and about the same (maybe exactly the same) in 2010.

A few years ago, my parents had enough medical expenses to take their
income under the taxable threshold. I told them to do their taxes
right before year-end, and then do a Roth conversion for the amount
needed to bring them up to the threshold.

Bill Brown

unread,
Dec 11, 2009, 8:15:37 AM12/11/09
to
On Dec 10, 4:15锟絧m, Hank Youngerman <dontspa...@redtopbg.com> wrote:
> On Dec 2, 7:08锟絘m, Bill Brown <brow...@longwood.edu> wrote:

>
> > On Dec 2, 5:08锟絘m, Howard Kaikow <kai...@standards.com> wrote:
>
> > > Assume that one has NO income.
>
> > > Would it then be possible to convert $XXXX from an IRA to a Roth if
> > > $XXXX were no more than the sum of standard deductions, elderly
> > > exemptions, etc.?
>
> > Yes.
>
> > > What would $XXXX be for 2009?
> > > For 2010?
>
> > If "one" is a single individual over age 65, then $XXXX = $10,750 in
> > 2009 and about the same (maybe exactly the same) in 2010.
>
> A few years ago, my parents had enough medical expenses to take their
> income under the taxable threshold. 锟絀 told them to do their taxes

> right before year-end, and then do a Roth conversion for the amount
> needed to bring them up to the threshold.
>
Hank makes a good point. If a taxpayer's itemized deductions are
greater than his/her/their standard deduction then the amount that
could be converted "tax free" would be larger than the number I showed
in my first post.

HLunsford

unread,
Dec 12, 2009, 11:24:05 AM12/12/09
to
Bill Brown wrote:
>>
> Hank makes a good point. If a taxpayer's itemized deductions are
> greater than his/her/their standard deduction then the amount that
> could be converted "tax free" would be larger than the number I showed
> in my first post.
>
And just last week a client came in because I called him to suggest a
conversion to Roth since his taxable income was going to be less than
zero. Plus the fact that his wife isn't long for this world, and he'll
be back to single without her exemption and standard deductions after that.

After computing the maximum amount he could convert with no increase in
either federal or state tax, he mentions his 8 new insulated windows
which qualify for the credit. It was back to the drawing board with an
increase in the amount to convert.

PPPPP results. And tax savings.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

Howard Kaikow

unread,
Dec 13, 2009, 3:34:51 PM12/13/09
to
On 12/2/2009 07:08, Bill Brown wrote:
> On Dec 2, 5:08 am, Howard Kaikow<kai...@standards.com> wrote:
>> Assume that one has NO income.
>>
>> Would it then be possible to convert $XXXX from an IRA to a Roth if
>> $XXXX were no more than the sum of standard deductions, elderly
>> exemptions, etc.?
>>
>
> Yes.
>
>> What would $XXXX be for 2009?
>> For 2010?
>
> If "one" is a single individual over age 65, then $XXXX = $10,750 in
> 2009 and about the same (maybe exactly the same) in 2010.

Thanx.
I do not understand where the 10750 comes from.

Using the 1040 for 2008, if I enter an adjusted gross income of 10750 on
line 38, I seem to find that:

Box 39a will have a 1.

I have to check 39c, as I did pay a property tax.

Line 40 seems to indicate that I have to use the Standard Deduction
worksheet.

On that worksheet, I enter:

5450 for line 1
NO for line 2
5450 for line 4
1350 for line 5
3127,60 for line 7
500 for line 8 and line 9
7300 for line 10

7300 for line 40 on form 1040
3450 for line 41 on form 1040
3500 for line 42 on form 1040
0 for line 43 on form 1040

Does not that indicate that I could have entered 10800 on line
38 of form 140?

Or, are the numbers changing for 2009?

Howard Kaikow

unread,
Dec 14, 2009, 1:05:25 PM12/14/09
to
Yippee!
I found the answer.

I downloaded the 2009 instructions for 1040.
The limit is $10749.

Howard Kaikow

unread,
Dec 23, 2009, 1:33:00 PM12/23/09
to

My preliminary calculations indicate that by using Schedule L, I could
actually convert $16871.12 from my IRA too a Roth and not incur any taxes.

Is the following correct?

Total income would be $13877.60 (16871.12 conversion to Roth, -3000
capital gains loss, and 6.48 of interest income).

The AGI would also be $13877.60.

Using Schedule L, I can deduct $10227.60 (5700 + 1400 + 3127.60 for
property taxes.

This results in a taxable income of $3650, which is eliminated by the
personal exemption.

Don Priebe

unread,
Dec 23, 2009, 2:35:33 PM12/23/09
to
> Using Schedule L, I can deduct $10227.60 (5700 + 1400 + 3127.60 for
> property taxes.

Nope. Limit on property tax adder to standard deduction is $500 for single.
--
Don EA in Upstate NY

Howard Kaikow

unread,
Dec 23, 2009, 5:13:27 PM12/23/09
to
On 12/23/2009 14:35, Don Priebe wrote:
>> Using Schedule L, I can deduct $10227.60 (5700 + 1400 + 3127.60 for
>> property taxes.
>
> Nope. Limit on property tax adder to standard deduction is $500 for single.

Thanx.

I noticed that a few minutes ago, and just posted a correction.

Howard Kaikow

unread,
Dec 23, 2009, 5:14:25 PM12/23/09
to
CORRECTION:

My preliminary calculations indicate that by using Schedule L, I could

actually convert $14243.52 from my IRA to a Roth and not incur any taxes.

Is the following correct?

Total income would be $11250 (14243.52 conversion to Roth, -3000 capital

gains loss, and 6.48 of interest income).

The AGI would also be $11250.

Using Schedule L, I can deduct $7600 (5700 + 1400 + 500 for property taxes.

Mark Bole

unread,
Dec 23, 2009, 8:34:58 PM12/23/09
to
Howard Kaikow wrote:
> CORRECTION:
>
> My preliminary calculations indicate that by using Schedule L, I could
> actually convert $14243.52 from my IRA to a Roth and not incur any taxes.
>
> Is the following correct?
>
> Total income would be $11250 (14243.52 conversion to Roth, -3000 capital
> gains loss, and 6.48 of interest income).
>
> The AGI would also be $11250.
>
> Using Schedule L, I can deduct $7600 (5700 + 1400 + 500 for property taxes.
>
> This results in a taxable income of $3650, which is eliminated by the
> personal exemption.
>

You might as well throw another $4 in there, since $4 of taxable income
still results in no tax.

Or, throw in $14 of taxable income and only pay $1 of tax.

-Mark Bole

Howard Kaikow

unread,
Dec 24, 2009, 9:05:50 AM12/24/09
to
On 12/23/2009 20:34, Mark Bole wrote:
> Howard Kaikow wrote:
>> CORRECTION:
>>
>> My preliminary calculations indicate that by using Schedule L, I could
>> actually convert $14243.52 from my IRA to a Roth and not incur any taxes.
>>
>> Is the following correct?
>>
>> Total income would be $11250 (14243.52 conversion to Roth, -3000
>> capital gains loss, and 6.48 of interest income).
>>
>> The AGI would also be $11250.
>>
>> Using Schedule L, I can deduct $7600 (5700 + 1400 + 500 for property
>> taxes.
>>
>> This results in a taxable income of $3650, which is eliminated by the
>> personal exemption.
>>
>
> You might as well throw another $4 in there, since $4 of taxable income
> still results in no tax.
>
> Or, throw in $14 of taxable income and only pay $1 of tax.
>
> -Mark Bole
>
Ayup.

I can add $4.99.

0 new messages