Marcus Vance, CFP®
Senior Retirement Strategist
Marcus Vance, CFP®
Senior Retirement Strategist at RothIRACalculator.us
Marcus has over 15 years of experience in wealth management and retirement planning. He specializes in designing tax-optimized withdrawal strategies, Roth conversion mapping, and long-term asset location models for retirees and early-stage wealth builders.
Articles written by Marcus Vance (31)
How Roth Conversions Affect Net Investment Income Tax
How Roth Conversions Affect Net Investment Income Tax explained with current rules, tax-document checkpoints, practical examples, and a decision framework.
Roth Conversion With After-Tax IRA Basis: A Form 8606 Walkthrough
Roth Conversion With After-Tax IRA Basis explained with current rules, tax-document checkpoints, practical examples, and a decision framework.
How to Correct a Roth IRA Contribution Assigned to the Wrong Tax Year
A Roth IRA contribution coded to the wrong tax year may require a custodian correction, not a casual withdrawal or duplicate deposit.
Roth IRA Contribution Records: Forms 5498 and 8606 Explained
Forms 5498 and 8606 serve different Roth IRA recordkeeping jobs; learn when each appears and what it proves.
How a Workplace Retirement Plan Affects IRA Contribution Choices
A workplace retirement plan does not bar Roth IRA contributions, though it can change traditional IRA deductions and planning priorities.
Roth IRA Contributions When You File Separately From Your Spouse
Married-filing-separately Roth IRA rules depend on whether spouses lived together at any point during the tax year.
Roth IRA Contributions After a Midyear Marriage
A marriage during the year changes year-end filing status and can affect Roth MAGI, spousal IRA eligibility, and contribution planning.
How Alimony Affects Roth IRA Contribution Eligibility
Only certain taxable alimony under older divorce instruments counts as compensation for Roth IRA contribution purposes.
Roth IRA Contributions While Receiving Social Security
Social Security benefits alone are not IRA compensation, but wages or self-employment income may allow a Roth contribution.
Roth IRA Contributions With Fellowship or Stipend Income
Certain taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments can count as IRA compensation for graduate and postdoctoral study.
Can Tip Income Fund a Roth IRA?
Reported tip income generally counts as compensation for Roth IRA purposes; unreported cash cannot safely support the calculation.
Can Commission Income Fund a Roth IRA?
Commission income can support a Roth IRA contribution when it is compensation, but eligibility still depends on total compensation and MAGI.
Roth IRA Rules for U.S. Citizens Living Abroad
Learn how compensation, the foreign earned income exclusion, MAGI, and cross-border account access affect Roth IRA contributions abroad.
What Happens to a Roth IRA During Divorce?
Understand how a Roth IRA may be transferred in divorce and why decree language, direct transfers, and basis records matter.
Roth IRA Contribution Basis: How to Build and Preserve Your Records
Build a durable Roth IRA contribution-basis record using statements and tax forms so future withdrawals can be documented.
Roth IRA Statements Explained: Contributions, Value, and Tax Forms
Decode Roth IRA statements, distinguish contributions from market value, and understand Forms 5498 and 1099-R.
Roth IRA Beneficiary Forms: Why the Account Contract Matters
See how Roth IRA beneficiary forms interact with wills, trusts, custodian contracts, and inherited-account distribution rules.
How to Transfer a Roth IRA Between Brokerages Without Tax Trouble
Follow a direct Roth IRA transfer from receiving firm to completion while avoiding accidental distributions and unsupported assets.
Can You Have Multiple Roth IRAs? Rules and Practical Tradeoffs
Learn the tax rules for owning several Roth IRAs and when consolidation or separate accounts may simplify retirement planning.
How Roth IRA Settlement Funds Work After You Make a Contribution
See where Roth IRA cash goes after a deposit, how settlement funds work, and why contributing does not automatically mean investing.
Roth IRA Custodian vs. Brokerage: What Each One Does
Understand the distinct jobs of a Roth IRA custodian and brokerage, including custody, trading, records, and investor protection.
Roth IRA Account Fees: What to Compare Before You Open an Account
Learn which Roth IRA fees matter, where they hide, and how to compare total account costs before choosing a provider.
Roth vs. Traditional IRA: Which Wins for You?
Tax now or tax later? The right answer depends on your current bracket, future income, and time horizon.
Tax Diversification: Why You Want Roth, Traditional, AND Taxable Accounts
The smartest retirees pull from different account types each year to minimize taxes.
The Roth Game Plan for High Earners
Make over the Roth income limits? You still have powerful tax-free wealth options.
Asset Location: What to Hold in Your Roth IRA
Not all investments deserve a spot in your tax-free account. Here's how to prioritize.
Why Early Retirees Should Love Roth Conversions
The gap years between retirement and Social Security are a Roth conversion goldmine.
Roth IRAs as an Estate Planning Tool
Heirs receive Roth IRAs tax-free — making them one of the best assets to leave behind.
Roth 401(k) vs. Roth IRA: Which Should You Max First?
Both offer tax-free retirement income — but they're not the same. Here's how to prioritize.
A Lifetime Roth IRA Strategy by Decade
From your 20s to your 70s, here's how to use your Roth IRA at every stage of life.
How the SECURE Act 2.0 Changed Roth IRAs
From higher RMD ages to Roth 401(k) RMD elimination, here's what changed.
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