I Tested a Roth Conversion Against Living Off Your IRA From 62 to 70

You're 62 with $1.5 million in your IRA, $300,000 in a brokerage account, and two plans on the table: convert $150,000 a year to a Roth, or live off the IRA and leave Social Security alone until 70. I ran both, plus the do-nothing option, through the same household, same spending, same returns. The result: over eight years, the big conversion writes about $241,000 of checks to the IRS. Living off the IRA and filling only the 12% bracket writes $92,800, keeps a $390,000 cash cushion, and raises Social Security by $31,104 a year for life. By 95, that's about $480,000 more after tax. I also stress-tested it: a spouse dying at 78, 3% and 7% markets, a $600,000 household, and the cases where converting more really is the right call (a large IRA, income in your 60s, heirs in high brackets, health). All numbers are illustrative: federal tax only, 2026 brackets held flat, 5% growth. Run your own before you decide. In this video: 0:00 Two plans at 62, and the answer 3:52 Path 1: do nothing, zero tax for eight years 7:58 Path 2: the big Roth conversion 12:07 Path 3: the bridge, living off your IRA to 70 17:42 The scorecard at 70, 75, 85 and 95 22:41 When the answer changes 28:14 Your three numbers If this helped, subscribing helps the channel a lot. Thanks to everyone who does. This video is for education only and is not personalized tax, legal or investment advice. 📌 Please note: I'm NOT a financial advisor. These videos represent my personal point of view. It's for entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing presented here constitutes investment, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.