Retirement tax questions

Are you saying Turbotax has a calculation error?

 

According to the law, your first advisor is correct.

 

Briefly, the 10% penalty for early withdrawal never applies over age 59-1/2.  

 

The general 5 year clock means that earnings are subject to income tax if you withdraw them in less than 5 years, no matter your age.  And they are subject to an additional 10% if under 59-1/2.

 

The 5-year clock on each conversion means there is a 10% penalty if it is less than 5 years and you are under age 59-1/2.  This is because withdrawals from regular IRAs are subject to the same penalty.  The IRS doesn't want to someone under 59-1/2 to be allowed to do a Roth conversion and pay the income tax, then withdraw and skip the penalty.  But the 10% penalty never applies if you are over age 59-1/2, which means you can ignore the 5 year clock on individual conversions.