Roth conversion question

Individual has a IRA with only nondeductible contributions. She also has a SEP with only deductible contributions. She is no longer funding the SEP. She has an individual 401k which she has now been funding. Can she roll her SEP into the 401K and then do a conversion of the IRA to a ROTH? Her IRA has not made much money and there is very little earnings there. If she does not close the SEP, my understanding is that the SEP and IRA would be combined for basis allocation purposes with the result that the conversion would be partially taxable. Are there timing issues to be aware of?
Thank you and I am a subscriber.



  • She should rollover all of the pre-tax balances in any traitional, SEP and SIMPLE IRA accounts to a 401k tht accepts IRA rollovers. Not all one-participant 401k plans accept such rollovers. E.g. Vanguard’s Individual 401k does not.
  • Some timing matters and some does not. She wants all IRAs to have little to no pre-tax balances on 12/31 of the year of any Roth conversion. Since Roth recharactrizations are no longer allowed. She should perform all rollovers and valiate they have completed successfully before doing the Roth conversion.
  • You can not make 5305-SEP IRA contributions for the same tax year as 401k contributions. The year you actually make the contribution in does not matter.

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