Glossary
Backdoor Roth
A backdoor Roth is a two-step technique in which a person whose income is too high to contribute directly to a Roth IRA makes a nondeductible traditional IRA contribution and then converts it to a Roth IRA.
Direct Roth IRA contributions phase out above certain income levels, but conversions have no income limit — which creates the indirect route. Done cleanly, little or no tax is due on the conversion because the contribution was already after-tax.
Why it matters in practice
The main trap is the pro-rata rule: if the person also holds pre-tax money in any traditional, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA, the conversion is taxed proportionally across all of it, which can create an unexpected tax bill. Form 8606 filing and timing details matter, so many people coordinate the steps with a tax professional.
Related terms: Roth IRA · Traditional IRA · Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) · IRA (Individual Retirement Account) · Tax-Deferred