Roth IRAs in Divorce: Why They're Worth More Than the Balance Says

A Roth Dollar and a Traditional Dollar Are Not the Same Dollar

If a Roth IRA sits on your marital balance sheet, look hard at it before you trade it away. A $100,000 Roth IRA and a $100,000 traditional 401(k) look identical on a spreadsheet. They are not worth the same money. The Roth has already been taxed. The traditional account has not, so every dollar you eventually pull out of it is taxed as ordinary income at whatever rate you are in that year. The Roth balance is much closer to what you actually get to spend.

That gap shows up in real settlements, quietly. If you agree to keep the pre-tax 401(k) and let your spouse keep a Roth of the same size, you have given up value and no one had to name a number. The same thing happens when a Roth gets traded against home equity, which has its own costs to reach.

Roth contributions are also the most accessible money on the table. You can take out what you put in at any time, tax and penalty free, which matters if you need cash to get through the divorce process itself.

So ask what each account is worth after tax, not what the statement says. Here is how to compare after-tax value when you are dividing a 401(k), and here is how to think about which retirement accounts to keep. The rules below are what make a Roth worth what it is worth.

Divorce itself is an emotionally charged, troubling process. Add major financial decisions to the mix, and divorce can be a recipe for disaster. Litigants are forced to make life-altering financial decisions during a time of emotional turmoil. Anyone walking through a divorce knows this can feel like an impossible task. There is hope! You can do this!

We will discuss the different types of financial accounts, their tax benefits or consequences, and their pros and cons.

The ROTH IRA in a Divorce

The ROTH IRA is a powerful financial tool that differs in many ways from a Traditional IRA. At a high level, a ROTH IRA is an individual retirement account. Contributions are made on an after-tax basis and growth tax-free. If withdrawn after age 59.5, distributions are all tax-free as well. However, there's a lot more to it than that.

The ROTH IRA can be used for various needs, sometimes without taxation or penalties. For example, if you have a ROTH IRA to divide in your divorce, you have potential access to a powerful financial tool.

Withdrawals of Contributions

In general, withdrawals of ROTH IRA contributions, or the tax basis, can be taken anytime, tax and penalty-free. You can specifically request the ROTH IRA contributions be distributed and ask the fund company to leave the earnings alone.

It is essential to know what portion of the ROTH IRA value is from contributions (or the cost basis) and what part of the ROTH IRA is attributable to earnings. Ask your attorney to request that information in the divorce process if you do not have it. If you request a distribution from your ROTH IRA, you will need this information for your CPA at tax time. Whether you use the ROTH IRA now or years into the future, you will need this information. Ensure you know the cost basis if you receive the ROTH IRA in your divorce.

Withdrawals of Earnings

You may have to pay taxes and penalties on the distribution of earnings from your Roth IRA. Taxes and penalties on the earnings are dependent not only on an exclusion list but also on how long you have had the ROTH IRA. There is a five-year rule for owning the ROTH IRA regarding earnings distributions.

The five-year rule for your Roth IRA earnings starts on January 1st of, the year you make your first contribution. That is when your clock starts. Because you can make a Roth IRA contribution up to April 15th of the following year, your five years technically would not have to be five calendar years. The clock for earnings could count as starting on January 1st as long as you designated contributions up until April 15th for the previous tax year. For example, if you made a Roth IRA contribution in February 2019 and designated it for the 2018 tax year, you would have to wait until January 1st, 2023, to complete the five-year rule requirement.

Knowing the ROTH IRA Rules Helps Divorce Negotiations

These are the rules that set the value of the Roth you are arguing over. Read them with the settlement in mind.

Withdrawals of earnings – age 59 and under:

Withdrawals from a Roth IRA you've had less than five years.
If you take a distribution of Roth IRA earnings before you reach age 59½ and before the account is five years old, the earnings may be subject to taxes and penalties. However, you may be able to avoid penalties (but not taxes) in the following situations:
• You use the withdrawal (up to a $10,000 lifetime maximum) to pay for a first-time home purchase.
• You use the withdrawal to pay for qualified education expenses.
• You're at least age 59½.
• You become disabled or pass away.
• You use the withdrawal to pay for unreimbursed medical expenses or health insurance if you're unemployed.
• The distribution is made in substantially equal periodic payments.

Withdrawals from a Roth IRA you've had more than five years.
If you're under age 59½ and your Roth IRA has been open for five years or more, your earnings will not be subject to taxes if you meet one of the following conditions:
• You use the withdrawal (up to a $10,000 lifetime maximum) to pay for a first-time home purchase.
• You're at least age 59½.
• You become disabled or pass away.
• You use the withdrawal to pay for unreimbursed medical expenses or health insurance if you're unemployed.
• The distribution is made in substantially equal periodic payments.

Withdrawals of earnings – age 59½ to 70:

Withdrawals from a Roth IRA you've had less than five years.
If you haven't met the five-year holding requirement, your earnings will be subject to taxes but not penalties.

Withdrawals from a Roth IRA you've had more than five years.
If you've met the five-year holding requirement, you can withdraw money from a Roth IRA with no taxes or penalties.

Withdrawals of earnings – age 70½ and over:

Withdrawals from a Roth IRA you've had less than five years.
If you haven't met the five-year holding requirement, your earnings will be subject to taxes but not penalties.

Withdrawals from a Roth IRA you've had more than five years.
If you've met the five-year holding requirement, you can withdraw money from a Roth IRA with no taxes. Required minimum distributions are not mandated on ROTH IRAs like traditional and Rollover IRAs when you are 70½.

In summation, the ROTH IRA is a varied, flexible tool. It is a powerful tool that can provide tax-free income for you at many different stages of life. In addition, if you do not have a lot of non-retirement funds to fund your divorce process, the ROTH IRA is an option for tax-free and penalty-free distributions (when you use the cost basis).

That flexibility is the reason an equal balance is not an equal trade. Price the Roth for what it is before you agree to give it up.

Other Related Posts:

Which retirement accounts to keep in a divorce

How to Keep Your Pension in a Divorce

Clearing Up Misconceptions About Thrift Savings Plans & Divorce

401K in Divorce: A Tip That Can Save You Thousands

The Complete Guide to Divorce Financial Planning in Ohio