You can convert (not recharactorize) any amount of a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA that you want. Because a Traditional IRA is before-tax money (unless you have a after-tax "basis" in it) and a Roth is after-tax money, you must pay the tax on the amount that is distributed from the Traditional IRA and converted to a Roth. That tax can either be withheld from the distribution which leaves less to convert, or paid from separate funds. You would inform the trustee of the IRA how much, if any, tax that you want withheld.
**Disclaimer: This post is for discussion purposes only and is NOT tax advice. The author takes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information in this post.**
