Roth Conversions and Qualified Charitable Distributions: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF®
IRA Analyst
Follow Us on X: @theslottreport
QUESTION:
How many times in one year can a person do a Roth conversion?
Thank you.
ANSWER:
A person can do an unlimited number of Roth conversions in a year. Roth conversions do not count against the one-rollover-per-year rule, so there is no concern there. Each conversion in a calendar year will have the same start date for the 5-year conversion clock –- January 1 of that year. So essentially, multiple conversions in a single year will be combined and considered one big conversion for 5-year-conversion-clock reporting.
QUESTION:
Can a QCD (qualified charitable distribution) be made from a 401(k) or defined benefit plan?
Thanks.
ANSWER:
QCDs can only be made from IRAs (and inactive SEP and SIMPLE IRAs). A QCD cannot be done from any employer plans. However, employer plan dollars –- like from a 401(k) –- could potentially be rolled over to an IRA, and then the QCD could be completed. A few more important QCD items to consider: the IRA owner must be at least age 70½ to do a QCD; the QCD cap for 2024 is $105,000; the donation must be directly transferred from the IRA to the charity (although a check made payable to the charity can be sent to the IRA owner for hand delivery to the charity); and nothing can be received in return for the donation.