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Roth Projection - Compare All Brackets

Rather than selecting a singular bracket to fill, users can evaluate the results of filling all brackets and then choose the optimal result. 

The Roth projection engine already lets users fill a single tax bracket (or IRMAA threshold) with Roth conversions over a chosen range of years. Compare All Brackets builds on this: instead of testing one bracket at a time, it runs the same fill calculation for every bracket over the same year range and shows the results side by side, allowing users to see which bracket produces the best outcome before committing to a scenario.

When to use it

Use Compare All Brackets when you want to answer "which tax bracket should I fill with conversions?" without manually running and re-running the Fill a Bracket tool for each option. It's especially useful when the best bracket isn't obvious — for example, when a bracket that saves the most in lifetime taxes isn't the same one that maximizes ending portfolio value.

How to use it

  1. Within the Roth Projection screen, select Compare All Brackets (next to Fill a Tax Bracket or IRMAA Threshold).



  2. In the dialog, set:
    • First Year of Conversion
    • Last Year of Conversion
    • Optionally, check Include All IRMAA Brackets in Analysis to add the five IRMAA tiers to the comparison. (Note that this will increase the calculation time.)
  3. Select Compare Brackets. This runs the Fill a Bracket calculation for every bracket across your chosen year range. This can take several seconds, longer with IRMAA tiers included.
  4. The results table will display when the calculations are done. Nothing is saved at this point. This is simply a preview of the underlying calculations. 



Reading the results table

Each row is one bracket (or IRMAA tier), compared against the client's base case (no conversions). Columns include:

  • Ending Portfolio Value — projected value at end of life, and the difference vs. base case
  • Ending Portfolio Value (Deferred assets tax-adjusted) — the same figure after adjusting tax-deferred assets by the blended tax rate you've set on the projection (e.g., 24%), plus the difference vs. base
  • Lifetime Taxes — total projected lifetime taxes, and the difference vs. base case

Select any column heading to sort by it. This is  useful for quickly finding the bracket with the highest tax-adjusted portfolio value or the lowest lifetime taxes.

Some brackets may show "No conversion room in this bracket",  indicating that the client's base income already exceeds that bracket, so there's nothing to fill.

Note: the bracket that produces the highest tax-adjusted ending portfolio value isn't always the bracket with the lowest lifetime taxes. A lower bracket can sometimes save more in lifetime taxes while still leaving the client with less total wealth, since it converts less each year. Compare across a few columns rather than optimizing for just one.

Applying a scenario
  1. Select the radio button next to the desired bracket.
  2. Select Apply Selected Scenario.
  3. This replaces any existing Roth conversions for both clients within the selected year range. Conversions outside the range are preserved.

Since applying overwrites existing conversions in that range, it's worth reviewing the comparison table carefully before applying. There is no separate undo step beyond manually re-entering the prior conversions.