Roth Versus Pre-Tax for High Earners

Mike asks about Roth contributions; Paula asks about career trajectory and retirement timing to shape Roth logic.

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Episode notes

#665: If you’ve ever stared at an insurance quote and wondered, “Is this really worth it?”, you’re not alone. Liability and umbrella policies can feel like an expensive mystery, especially when your net worth is growing and your risks are shifting.

In today’s episode, we dig into a listener’s dilemma about soaring liability and umbrella insurance costs, and we explore how to think clearly about protection, exposure, and the parts of your portfolio that may already be shielded. Along the way, we unpack how shifting household risks, driver ages, and asset location change the insurance strategy year by year.

From there, we take questions about Roth choices, future tax brackets, and whether it’s worth giving up investment flexibility to build a stronger tax triangle. These conversations get to the heart of how we balance risk, taxes, and long-term planning in the FI journey.

Listener Questions in This Episode

Andy asks: How can I protect my $2 million net worth without paying nearly $950 a month for increased auto, home, and umbrella coverage, especially with a teenage driver in the mix? (01:47)

Mike asks: Given our high current tax bracket and expected lower tax rate in retirement, does contributing to a Roth still make sense for us? (25:50)

Cindy asks: Should I move my rollover IRA into my new 401(k) so I can start doing backdoor Roth contributions, even if the investment choices are more limited? (39:47)

Key Takeaways

Sometimes the question isn’t “umbrella or nothing,” it’s “what risk am I truly trying to insure, and for how long,” especially when a teenage driver temporarily changes the household risk profile. 

You already may have more asset protection than you think. Retirement accounts and primary residences often carry their own layers of protection, which influences how much liability insurance you actually need. 

The Roth decision hinges less on math in isolation and more on your likely future earnings, work style, and appetite for locking in today’s tax rates. 

Building a balanced tax triangle gives you flexibility later, especially when future tax rates are unknowable and retirement timing is uncertain. 

Backdoor Roths can be powerful, but only when the tradeoff between investment choice and long-term tax flexibility makes sense for your goals and timeline. 

Chapters

Note: Timestamps are approximate and may vary greatly across listening platforms due to dynamically inserted ads.

(00:00) Offense versus defense and setting up today’s questions 

(01:47) Andy asks about protecting a $2 million net worth 

(12:00) What’s already protected and how coverage layers work 

(17:00) Managing short-term risk when a teenager starts driving 

(29:50) Mike asks whether high earners should prioritize Roth contributions 

(35:07) How career trajectory and future tax rates shape Roth logic (

45:54) Building a balanced tax triangle 

(47:47) Cindy asks about using a backdoor Roth to shift her tax triangle (

52:10) Tradeoffs of moving an IRA into a 401k 

(54:06) How long Roth dollars need to grow to matter