Like the Roth IRA? Beware the 5-Year Rule

If you have money in your company’s 401k or in a traditional IRA, you may be considering converting these funds into a Roth IRA now while tax rates are historically low. The idea is that if you pay income tax on your retirement money now – especially when many account balances are significantly down – future gains in the Roth are tax free. But you need to understand the 5-year Rule.