The best tool depends on whether you are a do-it-yourself planner or an advisor, and on whether you need an optimizer or a transparent year-by-year comparison. The core job is testing a conversion strategy against no conversions and against a flat annual conversion on identical inputs. No tool makes the decision for you. The comparison itself, not the recommendation, is what you are buying.
Table of Contents
- What should Roth conversion software actually let you compare?
- Which tools do individual planners use to compare Roth conversions?
- What does the MaxiFi Roth Conversion Optimizer claim to do?
- How much can an optimized conversion strategy actually save?
- Which advisor-grade tools handle IRMAA and Social Security alongside conversions?
- Is there free software for comparing Roth conversion scenarios?
- How does PureLogicOS fit into a Roth conversion comparison?
- What should you check before trusting any Roth conversion comparison?
- Key Takeaways
- References
What should Roth conversion software actually let you compare?
A useful Roth conversion tool must show conversions versus no conversions versus a flat annual amount, year by year, with taxes and account balances visible for each path. That minimum test separates real modeling from a single output number. A single recommended conversion figure without the underlying annual detail is hard to verify. You cannot see which years the tool converted, how much, or why.
The inputs must stay identical across every scenario for the comparison to mean anything. Spending, Social Security timing, withdrawal order, and filing status all change the result. If one scenario assumes earlier Social Security and another assumes later, the conversion comparison is no longer clean. According to a Bogleheads forum discussion on Roth conversion analysis tools, users report that tools like RPM produce a conversions-versus-no-conversions output you can print and review line by line. That level of inspection matters because lifetime tax savings figures vary widely between tools and assumptions.
Which tools do individual planners use to compare Roth conversions?
Individual planners use a mix of consumer software and spreadsheet tools, each with a different balance between optimization and transparency. Pralana is reported to output plans with and without conversions, including each account type, yearly transactions, taxes, balances, and expenses. RPM displays a Roth conversions versus no-conversions output that can be printed and reviewed line by line. Both approaches let you inspect the mechanics rather than accept a black-box answer.
ProjectionLab takes a different path. A Bogleheads poster stated that ProjectionLab currently makes no conversion recommendation and instead lets users set conversion amounts and timing and view results through tax analytics. That is a manual modeling approach, not an optimizer. The tradeoff is straightforward. Tools that optimize for you save time but hide the objective function. Tools that show the mechanics give you control but require more input and interpretation. Your choice depends on whether you want a suggested path or a test bench.
What does the MaxiFi Roth Conversion Optimizer claim to do?
MaxiFi states its Roth Conversion Optimizer is the only software that finds the annual conversion amounts that maximize your lifetime spending. The claim is specific: the objective is lifetime spending, not lifetime taxes paid. That distinction matters because minimizing taxes and maximizing spending are not always the same goal. A conversion that reduces taxes in one year can reduce total spending power if it triggers higher Medicare premiums or crowds out other planning moves.
The optimizer is described as considering tax bracket and IRMAA changes over time. Consumer pricing is listed at $109 to $149 per year according to Income Laboratory's review of Roth conversion software. When you read an optimizer claim, ask what objective function is being maximized and whether you can inspect the annual amounts behind the result. A tool that maximizes lifetime spending should still show you the conversion schedule it chose, not just the final number.
How much can an optimized conversion strategy actually save?
Income Lab states that the difference between a well-optimized Roth conversion strategy and a flat annual conversion is approximately $200,000 to $300,000 in lifetime tax savings for a client with $1.1 million in a traditional IRA and a 9-year window before required minimum distributions. That figure is a useful benchmark, but it is assumption-dependent. It should not be treated as a projection for your situation.
The variables that move the number most are the conversion window length, marginal rates in conversion years versus later years, IRMAA thresholds, and heirs' tax brackets. A longer window before RMDs gives more room to spread conversions. A large gap between current and future marginal rates increases the payoff. Comparing tools on identical inputs matters more than comparing headline savings claims. Two tools can both be internally consistent and still produce different answers because they model different tax rules or use different assumptions.
Which advisor-grade tools handle IRMAA and Social Security alongside conversions?
Income Lab Tax Lab is described as IRMAA cliff-aware and connected to a full financial plan with Social Security timing and withdrawal sequencing. That integration matters because a Roth conversion can push you across an IRMAA threshold and raise Medicare premiums. A tool that models conversions without IRMAA can overstate the benefit of an aggressive conversion.
Holistiplan Premium is described as not connected to a full financial plan and lacking IRMAA and Social Security integration. Covisum Tax Clarity is described as a marginal rate specialist tool that is not connected to a full financial plan. Pricing for advisor tools reflects their client-facing scope. Income Lab Tax Lab is listed at $299 per month for Pro and $199 per month for Core per advisor. Holistiplan Premium is listed at $150 to $200 per month on a household basis. RightCapital is listed at $125 to $150 per month. These tools are built for advisors managing many client plans, not for an individual testing one household.
Is there free software for comparing Roth conversion scenarios?
Free tools exist, but they generally offer organization and a single scenario rather than multi-scenario optimization. A Bogleheads forum discussion notes that RPM, a spreadsheet-based tool, can model Roth conversions and produce a printable conversions-versus-no-conversions comparison. That is a meaningful capability for a free tool, but it comes with limits.
Free spreadsheet approaches require manual input and may not model IRMAA thresholds or integrated Social Security timing. You are responsible for setting up the tax logic and checking the assumptions. Before paying for anything, judge whether a free tool answers your specific question. If you need to see one conversion path against no conversions with year-by-year detail, a spreadsheet may be enough. If you need to test multiple conversion windows, IRMAA cliffs, and Social Security timing together, a paid tool with scenario comparison is more practical.
How does PureLogicOS fit into a Roth conversion comparison?
PureLogicOS is an educational planning and modeling tool, not an advice service, and does not replace a licensed financial advisor. The Pro Plan at $139 annually supports projections, scenarios, and tax strategy modeling including Roth conversion windows and Medicare IRMAA thresholds. That means you can test a conversion window against the same plan data you use for spending, Social Security, and healthcare.
The scenario comparison tool lets you test tradeoffs such as retiring earlier, changing spending, or adjusting conversions against the same underlying plan. The Basic tier is free for people beginning to organize their financial picture. The Income Plan at $599 one-time builds a retirement income strategy from Pro Plan data for Pro subscribers preparing to retire. PureLogicOS fits where you need a connected plan rather than a standalone tax calculator. Conversions, Social Security, healthcare, and spending are modeled together, so a change in one area shows its effect on the others.
What should you check before trusting any Roth conversion comparison?
Confirm the tool models IRMAA thresholds and the tax bracket changes you expect over the conversion window. A tool that ignores IRMAA can recommend conversions that trigger higher Medicare premiums. Ask whether state taxes and heirs' tax brackets are part of the comparison. Income Laboratory's review notes that these details are left unclear across several tools, so you may need to verify them directly.
Verify you can export or print the year-by-year output and review it line by line. If a tool only shows a summary number, you cannot check its work. Run the same inputs through two tools and compare the results. A Bogleheads discussion on Roth conversion analysis tools shows that users often test multiple tools before trusting any single output. The goal is not to find the tool with the most confident recommendation. The goal is to find the tool whose mechanics you can see and verify.
Key Takeaways
- A useful Roth conversion tool shows conversions versus no conversions versus a flat annual amount on identical inputs, year by year.
- Income Lab states the gap between an optimized strategy and a flat annual conversion is roughly $200,000 to $300,000 in lifetime tax savings for a $1.1 million traditional IRA with a 9-year window before RMDs.
- MaxiFi states its Roth Conversion Optimizer finds annual conversion amounts that maximize lifetime spending and accounts for tax bracket and IRMAA changes over time.
- Pralana can output plans with and without conversions showing each account type, yearly transactions, taxes, balances, and expenses.
- RPM displays a Roth conversions versus no-conversions output that can be printed and reviewed line by line.
- Income Lab Tax Lab is described as IRMAA cliff-aware and connected to a full plan with Social Security timing and withdrawal sequencing.
- PureLogicOS Pro Plan at $139 annually includes scenario comparison and tax strategy modeling with Roth conversion windows and Medicare IRMAA thresholds.
References
- Best Roth Conversion Software for Financial Advisors (2026) — Income Laboratory, updated June 13, 2026
- Roth Conversion Optimizer — MaxiFi, date unknown
- Best Roth Conversion Analysis Tools — Bogleheads forum, December 20, 2024