Being out of work can be a daunting experience that's mostly filled with anxious questions about how you're going to pay the mortgage and your many day-to-day expenses.
While the good things one can say about the impact of unemployment on your finances are few and far between, there is at least one positive scenario you should take advantage of if you've been out of work for more than a few months: a Roth IRA conversion.
For most investors, Roth IRAs are recognized as a preferable alternative to traditional IRAs, due to their tax treatment.
With a Roth IRA, you don't get a tax break when you make contributions, but after age 59 1/2, all your withdrawals, including accumulated earnings, can be taken tax-free.
In contrast, all or a part of your contributions to a traditional IRA may be tax deductible, which could lower your taxes. You will be taxed, however, on withdrawals, and your tax rate will depend on what tax bracket you fall into at the time of withdrawal.
While you must take minimum distributions from a traditional IRA by age 70 1/2, there is no such requirement associated with Roth IRA withdrawals, making them an ideal tool not only for retirement, but for passing assets on to heirs.
Many workers believe their tax bracket upon retirement will be higher than in their earlier working years, making Roth IRAs an attractive option.
Yet the stumbling block for some is the prospect of a large tax bill that comes due following a conversion, since the amount converted is added to your income and is subject to tax.
That's why a job loss and long-term unemployment can make a Roth IRA conversion a much more doable event with a less painful tax bite.
In my case, I was laid off in the third quarter of 2009, so I will still have significant 2009 income to report when I do my taxes. But given the extraordinarily poor job market, it's conceivable I'll remain unemployed for much of 2010; what income I do earn, aside from unemployment benefits, may come from freelance writing or other temporary work assignments.
If that's the case, or for others who have already been out of work for much of 2009, this could be an ideal time to take advantage of your lower tax bracket during this time and convert your IRA to a Roth IRA. The conversion could cost you very little.
In my own case, I've been wanting to convert at least a portion of my traditional IRAs into Roth IRAs for some time, but the subsequent tax bill made me reluctant to do more than think about it. If my unemployment continues well into next year, however, my income will be abnormally low and I could be bumped into a lower tax bracket.
A Roth IRA conversion now might still make sense for you, even if you've only been out of work for a few months. If, for example, your salary when you were employed placed you close to the minimum income within any of the federal tax brackets. In a case like this, even a small reduction of income could cause you to fall into a lower bracket.
Remember, you can only convert to a Roth IRA if your modified adjusted gross income is under $100,000 in 2009. This limit on income disappears next year.
Consider such a tax-advantageous move only if you have adequate savings and won't hurt yourself by paying the IRA conversion tax bill.
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