Q: I am a federal employee with $60,000 in my nondeductible individual retirement account. I plan to convert it to a Roth IRA this year. I also have $120,000 in my traditional IRA which I do not plan to convert to Roth this year.
To avoid the Roth conversion aggregation rule, my plan is to roll the $120,000 into my Thrift Savings Plan account before converting my nondeductible account to a Roth IRA. This way, the $120,000 will not be subject to the Roth conversion aggregation rule this year. Is this a valid way to avoid the rule?
A: I believe that this will work, but I’m concerned about the timing, with both actions taking place in the same tax year. You should consult a certified public accountant for specific advice before proceeding.
