Making Roth IRAs Work for You


Description

In this session, I walked through how to get the most out of your Roth IRA. We covered rollovers, conversions, avoiding self-dealing mistakes, and creative ways to put deals inside your account. I showed you why “tax the seed, not the harvest” is so powerful, how to structure multiple IRAs for protection, and why your beneficiary form is more important than your will when it comes to passing on wealth. By the end, you’ll know how to set things up smartly so your Roth keeps working for you — and your family — for generations.


Key Takeaways

  • Never pay taxes until you have to — Roth IRAs make that possible.

  • Rollovers and conversions must be handled correctly to avoid penalties.

  • You cannot assign deals you signed personally into your IRA — that’s self-dealing.

  • “Tax the seed, not the harvest” means pay on small contributions now and let growth come out tax-free later.

  • Use separate IRAs for flips, rentals, and notes to manage liability and risk.

  • Beneficiary forms override wills and trusts — keep them updated.


Action Steps / Exercises

  1. Account Check: Do you already have a Roth IRA open? If not, open one this week to start your 5-year clock.

  2. Conversion Plan: Meet with your CPA to discuss whether you should convert Traditional funds to a Roth — and whether to spread it out over several years.

  3. Beneficiary Audit: Pull your IRA beneficiary form and confirm it’s correct. Update it if needed.

  4. Deal Drill: Pick one recent deal and write down how it could have been structured inside your Roth.

  5. IRA Strategy Map: Decide whether you’ll use separate IRAs for flips, rentals, and notes. Draw a quick diagram showing how you’d set them up.