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The Daily Insight

Can you convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA after age 70?

Author

John Thompson

Published Feb 13, 2026

There’s no age limit or income requirement to be able to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth. You must pay taxes on the amount converted, although part of the conversion will be tax-free if you have made nondeductible contributions to your traditional IRA.

When must an elderly person stop making contributions to a traditional IRA?

SIMPLE IRAs: There is no age limit. And employers must continue to make matching or nonelective contributions to your plan regardless of your age. However, you still need to take RMDs at age 72 or 70 1/2, depending on your birthday.

Can I contribute to a traditional IRA if I am retired?

Under the terms of the SECURE Act of 2019, all retirees can now contribute to traditional IRAs if they earn income. Retirees can continue to contribute earned funds to a Roth IRA indefinitely.

When is it too old for an IRA conversion?

You have to understand why you are converting. As a straight conversion, if you are, say, 70 1/2 or older–I just use 70 1/2 because that’s the date for IRAs–but let’s say you are around 70 or older, you are not doing it for yourself, because the cost–remember, there is a tax cost to converting.

What do you get when you convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA?

You’ll receive two tax documents if you convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, and you must report the conversion in two places on your tax return. You’ll receive a Form 1099-R from your financial institution reporting the Roth conversion.

How old do you have to be to open a traditional IRA?

How to Open and Fund a Traditional IRA Traditional IRAs can be opened by anyone 18 years old or older who has earned income. Part-time or full-time work suffices, as long as you can show how you earned that money. For 2019 and 2020 the maximum that an individual can contribute to a traditional IRA is $6,000.

Can a 60 year old take money out of an IRA?

IRAs are subject to required minimum distributions, which means you must begin making taxable withdrawals from your account when you reach age 70 1/2. As a 60-year-old, this could be an issue if you want to invest some of your money in an annuity or other investment with a horizon of more than 10 years.