Costly IRA Conversion Warning & the Hidden Billions Americans Are Leaving Behind

In this episode, fiduciary financial advisor Wes Moss tackles a piece of financial advice that he calls "lunacy" and "insanity" – a recent Op-Ed arguing that retirees should convert their entire Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in a single year. Wes explains why this academic advice is a dangerous real-world strategy, warning listeners about the potential for a massive tax bill that could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. Also, Wes addresses a sinister issue in retirement savings: billions of dollars in "forgotten" 401(k) balances. Wes warns that this money is often parked in cash or a low-interest money market, missing out on decades of critical growth.

Mentioned on the show: Forgotten 401(k) Accounts Are Costing Americans Billions in Lost Investment Gains Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the December 9, 2025, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions at clark.com/ask.

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