Because you pay income tax at your current rate at the time of conversion, you are able to lock in the tax liability on your retirement savings at a known cost. This could be particularly advantageous if you believe today’s income-tax rates will increase, or if your personal situation suggests your tax liability will be higher in retirement than today. Creating a Roth via conversion can also be a powerful move to pass wealth on to the next generation, especially if your heirs are likely to be in a higher tax bracket than yourself. Inherited Roths do have required minimum distributions for beneficiaries, but the RMDs are generally income tax-free.